In a communique issued by Makerere University College of Health Science (MaKCHS) postgraduate students leadership, they disregard the directive instead issuing demands.
Wednesday 8th November 2016 will mark exactly a week since president Yoweri Museveni indefinitely and abruptly closed Makerere University citing security concerns. The closure of Uganda’s top University was the climax of the week long lecturers' strike who demand 8 months worth of allowances owed to them. The lecturers go slow strike championed by Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) prompted students to stage a violent strike demanding to be taught.
Whilst Makerere University remains closed, there's a potent crisis rapidly brewing in the health sector. World Health Organisation stats place Uganda's doctor patient ratio at an estimated 1:24,725 as by 2013, with a nurse to patient ratio of 1:11,000 this exceeds the recommended 1: 1000 doctor- patient ratio recommended by WHO. It's this gaping hole that students try to fill by being deployed at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kawempe MNRH Directorate of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kirudu Hospital and Naguru China- Uganda Friendship hospital where patient care is largely dependent on postgraduate students and lecturers.
This is a bit tragic, lives will certainly be lost as a result of the impulsive decision to close a University over apparently simple reasons.
In a letter signed by Chief Resident Dr. Solomon Kyazze and General Secretary Dr. Phillia Ampeire, the post graduate doctors demand that the University be holistically opened before they return to offering their services.
"The college of Health Sciences can't operate autonomous of Makerere University, we need all facilities of University fully functional for a holistic learning experience." reads the letter in part.
They also demand that proper documentation be availed by MUASA clearly stating the available of lecturers to teach.
The letter ends with a resolution not to provide the much needed human resource in absence of their academic concerns being addressed.
The letter addressed to the no one in particular and dated 7th November 2016 surfaced after a 3 hour fruitless meeting held between MaKCHS students and the college principal Prof. Charles Ibingira. Where they highlighted security concerns and fear of consequences or "insubordination" of the president's unrescinded directive to close Makerere University.
Uganda is quietly turning into an active land mine! The spillovers off the economically dysfunctional system will keep veering their heads.
