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Letter of the Day | UWI vulnerable students left in the cold

Published:Wednesday | March 25, 2020 | 12:24 AM

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I find it unsettling that I must write to you this day about The University of the West Indies, Mona. First a little about myself, I am someone with a pre-existing medical condition and have been a patient of University Hospital Clinic for years. I take daily medication to ensure that I function at my optimal.

At the beginning of my university journey, I was presented with a health card which I was very grateful for because it would offset my medical expenses. Boy, was I wrong. When I attempted to use the said health card by the UWI Hospital Pharmacy, I was informed that it cannot be used there, only by the University Campus Health Center pharmacy.

Though I thought this was strange, I didn’t let this bother me. I then took my prescription that was written from the University Hospital to the University Campus Health Center Pharmacy. I was then informed that they cannot use my health card to fill the prescription unless it was written in the health centre. Needless to say, I was thoroughly upset by this time.

WHERE DO WE GO?

However, this is not why I am writing this letter.

I am writing to express that the University of The West Indies, Mona, has left all of its students out in the cold at this juncture in our health crisis. Their health card is totally useless outside of the University of the West Indies, Mona. The students are from various background, with some unable to sufficiently afford basic needs and their school have “left them out in the cold”, for want of a better term.

I guess what I want to know is where do we go from here. Will the Ministry of Health step in, especially since they don’t want the crowd at the public facilities? Will the University Council visit this situation, especially in this time of COVID-19? Students need to be protected during this time.

Students need justice!!!

CONCERNED JAMAICAN