Ramadan Mubarak

Our Former Refugee Team have provided information to help you better understand your Muslim community, in particular Muslim patients, as they observe Ramadan. In 2025, it will begin on Sunday, 2 March or Monday, 3 March. 

Fasting in the ninth Islamic month, Ramadan, is one of the five pillars of Islam. Following the lunar calendar, Ramadan moves back approximately 10 days each year, meaning it can occur in any of the four seasons, affecting fasting durations accordingly. Hundreds of millions of able-bodied adult Muslims, along with some keen and healthy teenagers, observe fasting during this holy month each year.

Medical Treatments and Fasting during Ramadan

Muslim patients may refuse certain medical treatments during fasting hours, fearing it may invalidate their fast. Some actions definitively break the fast, while others are debated among Islamic scholars.

Treatments that invalidate fasting:

·         Eating or drinking intentionally

·         Oral medications that reach the stomach

·         Deliberate vomiting

·         Sexual intercourse

·         Heavy bleeding (e.g., menstruation)

Treatments that may or may not invalidate fasting (depending on scholarly opinion):

·         Eye drops and ear drops

·         Rectal suppositories

·         Blood donation or injections

Because opinions differ among Islamic scholars and juristic schools, healthcare providers should be aware of these differences and accommodate Muslim patients' needs whenever possible.

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

Neurodiversity Celebration Week (17 to 23 March 2025) is coming up.

Here are some fantastic resources for you and your team: 

MONDAY 17 March - Intellectual Disability - Tips to be a Good Communicator: Communicating with someone with an intellectual disability

TUESDAY 18 March - Podcast - Brain Injury Otago accessmedia.nz/player

WEDNESDAY 19 March - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - the basics Obsessive compulsive disorder

THURSDAY 20 March - Double Empathy: Why Autistic People Are Often Misunderstood kids.frontiersin.org/articles

FRIDAY 21 March - Lunch and Learn FASD - The Basics Webinar FASD-CAN Webinar Recordings