By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Following social media speculations on alleged suicide note by a medical student at Kampala International University (KIU), the university has clarified concerns regarding their medical training program.
On Monday, a handwritten note of alleged student of medicine and surgery at KIU addressed to his / her mother made rounds on social media over frequent changes in their internship sites.
“I have made a decision to end my life as the only solution to all the regrets, rejections, and problems I am facing,” read a suicide note from an unidentified author.
“KIU has constantly frustrated my dream. A course of 5 years takes a minimum of 7-10 years on normal progress. A disorganized medical school sends students to teaching sites, then tells us to shift from referral hospitals to health center IVs midway through the semester, and parents have to foot the costs of these illogical decisions because of their reckless admissions,” the notice further reads.
The university has however said the alleged author is not their student as attempts to investigate the matter have not identified the author.
“Investigation into this matter has revealed no such author among our students or parents to whom the suicide note was addressed. Nonetheless, the university has all systems in place to address the psychological and social/ mental health needs of all our students”, the university management said.
According to the university, students pursuing Bachelor of medicine and Bachelor of surgery are required to undergo a rotational clinical training in different parts of the country to ensure optimal exposure to practical clinical experience and prepare them to effectively work in both rural and urban environments.
The university said that the COVID-19 pandemic and Ebola disruptions significantly impacted the academic progress and also acknowledged that some students frustrated by outstanding retakes, financial difficulties or eager to graduate before completing required rotations are pressuring the university to release them before completing their mandatory rotational training. The University has emphasized to remain steadfast in its commitment to quality assurance, ensuring high-quality and employable graduates.
“It is also apparent to the university authorities, that some students who are frustrated by outstanding retakes and those who are eager to graduate before completing the required rotations in various sites may want to take advantage of the situation to orchestrate agitations and sensational allegations in order to attract public outrage, sympathy and eventually divert the university from the right course of action. While committed to effectively addressing all the students’ concerns, the University will also remain steadfast on quality assurance to produce high-quality and employable graduates,” said KIU management.
In addition, the university emphasized that no student will be required to pay extra funds for transport, accommodation, or tuition associated with the shift to new learning sites. Management has assured that students will be taken to allocated sites to complete their training within a few weeks, depending on individual backlogs.
