JU correspondent :
The authorities of Jahangirnagar University (JU) couldn’t introduce health insurance system for its students after 50 years of its foundation. The demand of availing health insurance system for the JU students has become louder amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Remaining closed since March last year, the university authorities reopened it’s dorms on October 11 with a little preparation of medical facilities.
Students and teachers said that the university authorities should introduce the health insurance system immediately.
The number of JU students is around 12,900 most of whom are from middle class or lower middle class. When any students from such classes have any diseases, they find it difficult to bear the cost of treatment.
On some occasions, they have to encounter serious problems and go from door to door to raise money for treatment.
Wishing anonymity, a third year Student of the university who had an operation of gall -bladder recently, told the New Nation, ‘Doctor suggested me to have an operation of gall bladder but my marginal-income family wasn’t capable to bear the costs. I had to take help of my friends-teachers which was uncomfortable for me. If there was a health insurance system in JU, I wouldn’t have faced the problem.
Rakibul Rony, Secretary of university unit BSU, said, we observed that the university administrating is not cordial to implement health insurance system at all. Many students of the university are facing difficulties to bear medical costs. We don’t know after requesting how many times, the authorities will implement health insurance system? Demanding availability of the facility by this year, he said, “The terms and conditions of health insurance should be set in such a way that the premium is the lowest and the benefits are the maximum.
Mahbubul Haque Rafa, library affairs secretary of JU BCL said, among the achievements of our 50-year journey, this is one of our limitation too. As a residential university, we should introduce health insurance system considering the Covid-19 situation.
Abu Saiyed, Secretary of Socialist Students’ Front-JU told, ensuring good health of the students is a precondition for well education. It’s shameful for us that the university authority couldn’t launch health insurance system after 50 years of its foundation. I hope that we will get the facilities by this year.
All the leader of students’ organisation urges the university administration to hold a discussion with the stakeholders regarding this.
