The Management of KIU is deeply concerned by the anonymous suicide threat by an alleged medical student of the University. Investigation into this matter has revealed no such author among our students or parents to whom the suicide note was addressed. Nonetheless, the University has all systems in place to address the psychological and social/ mental health needs of all our students.

Regarding the matters raised in the note, the Management would wish to clarify to the general public as follows:

1. As approved by the National Council for Higher Education(NCHE), the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council (UMDPC), and the EAC Medical and Dental Councils, KIU’s Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Curriculum (BMS) takes five and a half (5.5) years to complete under normal progression. The curriculum is by design rigorous and focused on developing a high degree of professional competence, resilience, personal discipline, flexibility and agility among students. While most of our students complete the programme within the normal period, like in all other institutions, there are those few students that take longer to complete due to personal challenges including retakes, financial stresses, social stresses and ill health, among others.
2. As a core part of the clinical training for Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, each student is widely exposed through a series of clinical rotations in various medical facilities in different parts of Uganda. Our target is to get each student exposed to the required number of patients in a variety of health scenarios as prescribed in the university curriculum and clerkship logbook by the time they graduate. This is to ensure that our doctors are not only practically competent but also their mindsets are well prepared to work effectively in both remote and urban environments. It is this rigorous system that has made KIU a popular destination for medical education in Uganda and beyond. Both alumni and employers in various countries attest to this fact.
3. To achieve the objective in No. 2 above, KIU adopted an innovative model of using satellite regional referral hospitals around the country for clinical rotations. Students begin rotations in the second semester of their 3rd year (3.2) until they complete the programme of study. In addition to KIU Teaching Hospital at Ishaka, the students are rotated around the various Regional Referral Hospitals such as Jinja, Lira, Fort Portal, Hoima etc. The University reinforces these hospitals with specialists and supportive facilities. This arrangement has been in place for over 10 years and has been highly commended by the National Council for Higher Education, the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council as well as the Joint EAC Medical and Dental Council.
4. In order to maximize the learning and practical clinical experience of our medical students, they are moved from one referral hospital to another. This is to ensure optimum exposure to practical clinical settings. 
5. At each of these satellite sites, the University has proper arrangements for students’ accommodation. The intention is for students to stay together to maximize peer learning and their security. Unfortunately, some BMS students ignore these vital considerations and prefer to burden their parents by opting to rent their own private residences. Because of this, some students paid upfront for accommodation at their current locations and are now objecting to shifting to new sites as have been required to do so. 
6. It is important to note that the KIU Management has already put in place mechanisms to mitigate the effects of the scheduled shifting on such students. Students are not required to pay any extra money for tuition, transport or accommodation. This extra cost is to be entirely borne by the University. The University has provided its buses and trucks to transport the students and their belongings respectively to their new satellite sites. Some students have already complied and relocated to their new sites.
7. Understandably, students lost a lot of time due to the disruptions of COVID-19 and Ebola. Some students currently in the fifth year (5.2) are under pressure to complete on time as if no such disruption happened. In turn, they are putting the University under pressure to release them before they complete their due set of rotations. Some of these students want to have it their way, even at the risk of undercutting the quality standards. This is the actual source of the contention and the University is not willing to compromise on quality.
8. To our parents, guardians and all stakeholders, please rest assured that the matter is being handled professionally to ensure our students are given the best medical training while at Kampala International University. While doing that, KIU will ensure that students fulfil all academic and professional requirements before graduation.

In conclusion, Kampala International University remains committed to ensuring the provision of uncompromised quality higher education, not only in Medicine and Surgery but across all disciplines. No student is required to pay any extra funds for transport, accommodation or tuition associated with the shift to new learning sites or the duration thereof. Students simply need to present themselves to be taken to the respective sites allocated so that they can effectively
complete their training within a few weeks, depending on one’s backlog. 

It is also apparent to the University authorities, that some students who are frustrated by outstanding retakes and those who are eager to graduate before completing the required rotations in various sites may want to take advantage of the situation to orchestrate agitations and sensational allegations in order to attract public outrage, sympathy and eventually divert the University from the right course of action. While committed to effectively addressing all the students’ concerns, the University will also remain steadfast on quality assurance to produce high-quality and employable graduates.

KIU Management