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By Sameer Naik 
2h ago
Johannesburg: Senior medical students across the country are afraid to return to hospitals to complete their in-service training as Covid-19 continues to spread rapidly.
But if they don’t, they won’t get their degrees this year.
Last week, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande announced that they would return to clinical training under strict conditions.
However, several students this week revealed their fears of being sent to hospitals without any planning and transparency from their universities and without their consent.
A senior medical student who did not want to be named for fear of victimization at his university, believed that tertiary institutions were acting “recklessly.”
“I don’t think it’s fair for us to be there. We are taking up space, time, and resources that might otherwise go to fighting, but instead they should come to us. Also, the hospitals are empty, what are we going to learn? I feel which is reckless since Covid-19 is only increasing and I am afraid I will hire him or bring him home. “
Your university has not informed you of security measures.
“There are no clear measures in place. Mainly we have received information about the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the availability of it.
“We were notified that we must return and that if there is a Covid-19 case we will have to act as carriers to take samples and obtain supplies and blood from other places and bring it to the Covid-19 case. If I choose not to pitch, I don’t get my title. And that’s not fair “.
His family is strongly opposed. “They don’t pay me to do the job other employees are employed for. They also fear that I will bring the virus home.
“I don’t feel comfortable doing it in exchange for my title. There is too much at stake. But if the situation is serious and they ask me to volunteer, I will gladly do it.”
Another student, who did not want to be named, is concerned about the risk she poses to her family, particularly to her elderly parents.
“For us to return so soon would be pointless considering the fact that little teaching can be given in academic hospitals, as they are primarily filled with Covid-19 patients. As things stand, hospitals are already struggling to keeping up with the shortage of EPP. Our return would further complicate this.
“My family is very concerned about the risks. They understand the nature of my title and that risks are often associated with it. However, they feel that the risk is avoidable and would prefer that it not return. ”
She added that her university is sending her back to work in a hospital without her consent. “Many of us only realized this through the minister’s announcement on television.”
If you do not return, you will lose the opportunity to complete your degree.
“We have been offered the option of not working, but it comes at a cost.
Like many other senior medical students, he would have been happy to help during the pandemic if his university had properly planned and guaranteed his safety.
“The current situation is not ideal. If any of us contracts the virus, medical treatment would be at our expense. ”
Another student said, “My concern is that the country is in a state of disaster and our doctors are not adequately equipped to teach us in the clinical setting. We are putting ourselves, our families, and our classmates at risk. We live in residence, which is not conducive to the requirements of social distancing.
“If a student hires Covid-19 on the hospital campus, many others will be affected.”
All his university has ordered him to do is an online training course on the use of PPE and asked him to quarantine for seven days.
“We are asked to choose between our health and safety or to complete our title. We are aware that we are future health professionals, but unlike interns employed, we do not have compensation or medical insurance from any of the parties involved.
“The university does not take responsibility if we hire Covid-19, but it asks us to return to a dangerous environment at an insecure time where security cannot be guaranteed.”
This week, the student assistance portal Student Matters ZA, which has provided assistance to young doctors, launched a campaign on social media to highlight the current plight of medical students.
“The students have felt that, despite various requests and appeals to members of the university leadership, their main concerns have not been met with clear solutions,” said a spokesman.
“We acknowledge the few efforts that have been made, however, we are not satisfied with the solutions presented, as they do not meet the strict conditions to guarantee security.
“For example, no information has been provided on who, whether it’s the university or the health department, will take responsibility if a student hires Covid-19 in the clinical setting and requires more medical assistance as well as possible compensation.”
They want universities and the department to pay attention to their concerns.
“Universities have given us an indirect ultimatum to go back and put our lives at risk, as well as those of our families and loved ones, or stay home and miss the academic year and graduate this year.
“All we are asking for is a well-detailed plan that mitigates risk for students as much as possible on clinical platforms, and that also takes into account the different socioeconomic backgrounds of all people.”
Meanwhile, the South African Junior Physicians Association said it wants senior medical students to continue their in-service training despite the high risks involved.
“We would like students to complete their medical studies and in-service training by 2020 so that they can take up their internship positions in early 2021,” Vice President Dr. Tshepile Tlali said this week.
“We believe that there should be clear guidelines on measures to protect your safety.”
The health department says that the training of senior medical students is regulated by the department of higher education, led by the deans of health science.
“In accordance with the regulation and procedures for dealing with Covid-19, all health workers must receive training and then receive PPE. They must be checked upon entering the facilities and evaluated if necessary, ”said spokesman Popo Maja.
Saturday star
* For the latest on the Covid-19 outbreak, visit the IOL #Coronavirus trend page
** If you think you have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, call the 24-hour government hotline at 0800 029 999 or contact SA Coronavirus for more information.
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