Following a meeting between senior officials of concerned bodies by the MNUSU's request over concerns of students regarding relocation of their teaching venue, the Union reveals that hope has been renewed in continuing studies of med students at the hospital.
The Maldives National University Students' Union (MNUSU) has stated that the government has rescinded their decision to relocate the medical studies being conducted at the Dharumavantha Hospital to the university's main campus and that the opportunity to utilize two floors of the hospital by the university's medicine students for their studies as per the previous arrangement has been offered.
The union had declared this in a press release disclosed following a discussion Friday night between the relevant senior officials of the President's Office due to the discontent caused by the sudden decision to switch medical studies to the main campus.
The students had asserted that their clinical experiences may be heavily impacted with this abrupt switch, raising various challenges for thousands of students. The Students Union had previously explained that major changes will be brought forth to the system of study for students in foundation and additional courses at the MNU Central Administration with this, hence posing additional difficulties.
The Union stated that their hopes have been renewed following the meeting of senior officials of the President's Office Friday night over the concerns of more than 200 students studying at the School of Medicine.
"As this is something that involves the interests of many students and until the 200 plus medical students receive a permanent study center, hope has been renewed that [students] can stay at the 8th and 14th storey of Dharumavantha Hospital," reads the press release by the Student's Union.
The press statement had further divulged that senior officials of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in addition to Maldives National University (MNU) had attended the meeting held at the President's Office last night by the Union's request. The statement affirmed that the students' concerns were precisely laid out by the Students Union and the students.
"Facilitating this meeting within such a short period of time is something we accept with great joy. At this meeting, the government had given their assured certainty that they will not proceed with any decision that may obstruct studies," said the Union.
The MNUSU revealed that President Dr Mohamed Muizzu had also taken part in shielding the rights of students and gave precedence to that. The Union asserted that, therefore, the government had given their assured certainty that much better facilities compared to the current resources will be established for medical students.
"It was highlighted that the health industry is an industry that the President wants to develop and advance with a high priority," said the Union, referring to Friday's meeting.
MNU medical school had begun utilizing the Dharumavantha Hospital as a teaching venue during 2018 as a temporary arrangement. However, a permanent venue remains unarranged for the students till present.