Thousands of students protested the death of a university student in Sagaing Region today, demanding action against staff of the hospital where the deceased was a patient.
Protestors said the Kalay public hospital failed to provide adequate services for Tg Dal Mun Mang after he was admitted to the emergency ward following a motorcycle accident.
Student leader, Wah Baik Hlaing Mo (aka Wai Naing Oo), told Khonumthung News, Tg Dal Mun Mang was ignored by doctors and nurses for nine hours before dying last week.
“We are demanding for the government take action against the doctors and nurses under the medical act and criminal act 304. The government must take action against them within five days!”
Wah Baik Hlaing Mo warned of further action by students if something is not done to rectify the situation.
About 3,000 protesters marched down Seik-Kan-Tha, Pinglon and Bogyok roads. The students gathered in front of Kalay public hospital where a speech was given demanding “full medical treatment” for patients, for the hospital staff to be charged and the health care budget increased by ten-percent.
Myo Zaw, from the Kalay Peace Network, told Khonumthung News, it isn’t the first time this sort of thing has happened at the Kalay public hospital.
“This hospital not only ignored this student, it’s also been done to many other patients in the past.”
The activist explained they wanted to show Tg Dal Mun Mang’s death was not just an isolated incident but a perennial issue affecting patients at Kalay public hospital.
Tg Dal Mun Mang, a native of Tedim town, was a fifth-year Mechanical and Energy Engineering student at Kalay Technical University. Last year, he was the chairperson for the Zomi Students Union.