Lupane State University (LSU) students who are on quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19 have accused the university authorities of abandoning them and denying them to sit for their examinations.
Fifty students from the university were quarantined after testing positive for the deadly virus on Sunday.
The students are part of the group that was set to write their end of semester examination at the main campus in Lupane.
Speaking to CITE, some students said when they were quarantined the authorities told them a team from St Lukes Hospital will be bringing them some medication but nothing has materialised.
“We are being neglected since we entered into isolation, we have only been given two tablets (paracetamol) per day. It is now 2 pm and we have not received any food we are being told that they don’t have disposable plates,” said one student.
Another student also added that the ablution facilities are not being cleaned.
“Bins are not being collected, we are leaving in fear; it will not be a surprise if there will be a cholera outbreak. We are appealing to the government to intervene so that we can have something hot food in the morning,” the student said.
Meanwhile, the students said the university denied them an opportunity to write their examinations.
“The University denied us to write while we’re in isolation. They did not even address us. It’s a hide and seek game because if you ask one official he or she refers you to another person and the chain goes on,” they said.
Reached for comment, LSU Director of Marketing and Communications, Zwelithini Dlamini said the Dean of Students advised him that additional temporary staff have been hired to clean the hostel where the isolated students are accommodated.
He said in terms of food the students place their orders and food is delivered to their hostels.
“Adequate quantities of disposable plates have been ordered to service the affected students and from St Lukes Hospital visit the isolated students to monitor them as well as dispense medicines,” said Dlamini.
He added that the Senate has taken a decision that the affected students will take their examinations in January 2022.
“Please note that the management of examinations for this particular group became a challenge since all the people involved felt that their health could be exposed. It was therefore only reasonable that we arrange special examinations for them in January,” he said.
