Gulu College of Health Sciences has extended the reporting date for medical students by one week.
Final year students of the college were supposed to report on Friday to continue with their studies as directed by the National Council of Higher Education- NCHE in a letter issued last week. However, administrators at the college say they have extended the opening date because they are not prepared to admit the students.
Patricia Naebinaka, the College’s Principal Secretary says that the reopening date was so abrupt and different departments need adequate time to prepare and establish the requisite standard operating procedures – SOPs in place.
Naebinaka adds that in June, the College Principal Grace Aninge succumbed to the COVID-19 pandemic and her successor Jean Babalande had just taken over office three days ago. She said Babalande needs to meet the staff in preparation for the college reopening.
“In June this year, we lost the College Principal Grace Aninge who succumbed to COVID-19 pandemic and her successor Jean Babalande has just taken over office three days ago and needs a little more time to meet the staff in preparation for the reopening,” Naebanika said.
The College is expecting over 300 students out of a total enrollment of 978 to report back on Friday 20th August.
As part of a strategy to enable the students to come up with the devastating impact of the pandemic, Naebinaka revealed that students will undergo psychological counselling for one week to prepare for their mental readiness.
“As part of our strategy to enable the students to cope up with the traumatic and devastating impact of the pandemic, we are finalizing for them a week-long psycho-social counselling therapy to prepare them mentally and because the government directive came so soon we have decided to extend the reopening by seven days,” she added.
Meanwhile, at Gulu University, the Faculty of Medicine is expecting 180 students to begin reporting on Monday 16. Dr Felix Kaducu, the Dean of Students at the Faculty revealed that management will use the weekend to finalize its preparation.
He said all the students that will report, will be tested on-site before being allowed into the University facility or access the two teaching hospitals Gulu Regional Referral Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor.
Dr Kaducu revealed that if any of the students test positive, they will be isolated and treated in a facility that has already been identified by the University Management.