Having a strong connection to the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), I sometimes feel that not many here care to do something for the betterment of this institute. Neither to they have any sense of duty.

After all what does this institution have to offer aside from the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) blessed ranking system?

If it’s not the mutual understanding between student leaders and the administration leading to not a single student leader being held back after the annual examinations then it is the holders of two offices that ruins the reputation of the institution. For example, you have the director of student affairs, who is also hostel provost, something which is anyway against the varsity constitution. There have been instances where the hostel rooms have been accommodating people on party quotas — any student in need of a room has to contact the student leaders for it.

Then the students staying in the hostels are also leading a pathetic life due to the poor sanitary conditions there. There have been outbreaks of typhoid and Hepatitis-A epidemics every year since 2007. The students’ mess is the only source of such diseases that spread due to improper sanitation and lack of hygiene.

The mess of Ibn-i-Sina hostel is the worst of all. The issue has been raised a number of times but the hostel provost remains unconcerned as the students are forced to get by in risky health conditions. So the doctors of tomorrow suffer under the apathy of the LUMHS administration. It is criminal negligence on the part of the hostel provost who seems to have no sense of responsibility despite such misery all around.

The honorable vice chancellor of the university is therefore requested to look into these matters and take stern action against the culprits creating such havoc that hurts the students of LUMHS. Taking this opportunity I would also like to request our community medicine department chairman to hold a regular monthly community department visit to the hostels at LUMHS in order to be able to properly monitor the conditions over there. This is after all a medical institute and the wellbeing of the medical students here must be made a priority.