Wearing a medical uniform and white coats, this Sunday the health union made a silent march in the Comarca Lagunera to demand justice for the case of the 24-year-old medical intern Eric Andrade, who was murdered when he was providing consultation at the Comprehensive Hospital of El Salto, in Pueblo Nuevo, Durango.
Ambulances, private vehicles with pints of “Justice for Eric”, students from the UAD, UJED and UA de C; in addition to health professionals mobilized from the replica of the Eiffel Tower in Gómez Palacio to the Plaza Mayor in Torreón.
In a statement, they condemned Eric’s death and said that it is not an isolated event, because every year, generation after generation, there are testimonies from medical interns who they suffer aggression, rape, and abuse of all kinds in the remote communities where they carry out their social service as part of their training.
“We are united today, more than ever, medical students, social service medical interns, undergraduate medical interns, family members, Nursing staff and students, and other health personnel, because we will not allow this situation to repeat itself, we do not want not one more dead doctor”sentenced.
and they continued “We studied for many years for the vocation we have to save lives, to recover health and of course, to serve the community; but we demand to do it safely and in the appropriate conditions for it. And as long as these are not given to us, we refuse to continue going to remote communities where we are repeatedly easy prey for crime.”.
They commented that this situation is not exclusive to the state of Durango, but it is presented throughout the Mexican territory. They pointed out that many cases of alleged abuse and harassment are not investigated because when they are reported to the Sanitary Jurisdictions and health authorities that act as their immediate superiors “We are threatened with withdrawing from the service and not having our release letter if we decide to resign.”
This Sunday, They also pointed out that despite the Juarez University of the State of Durango (UJED) and the Autonomous University of Durango (UAD) they released a notice of withdrawal of the Intern Physicians of the Social Service of rural and marginalized areaspublic health institutions such as Social Security, continue to retain students “with the threat of not releasing them if they withdraw from their units.”
The health union urged this day to make a modification to legislation that obliges newly graduated professionals to provide social service, Well, in his opinion, the objective has been lost and today it is only a requirement to be able to become a holder.
“A requirement that is very expensive when you have to pay for it with your life. Health personnel are fundamental in any society, without medical personnel, the health of the people would collapse immediately, that is why we demand justice, we demand respect and safe conditions to work”.
At a rally in the Plaza Mayor, They made public the following petition:
To the universities They called for immediate removal from rural communities, temporary suspension of service for interns without retaliation, until there is an official resolution that guarantees security, immediate release from social service for interns who will finish it on July 31, 2022 with safe transfer to their location.
Also they ask to eliminate the places type C and CC, as well as establish complaint mechanisms efficient and effective in case of prThere are situations of bullying, harassment, extortion, threats and/or violence.
Resolution in writing and in time not exceeding 5 business days in case there are complaints by the internseffective communication and accompaniment to students during their internship.
The health institutions are asked to definitively withdraw the service hours in the evening and night shifts of any social service intern, as well as the withdrawal of positions from all positions with insecurity rates and those where the intern is unaccompanied by a qualified superior.
Also increase in places in local areasestablishment of Efficient and effective complaint mechanisms and mandatory training in security and accompaniment for those who hold positions of head of education in the different jurisdictions.
The state government is required to monitor universities and health institutions in compliance with NOM-009-SSA3-2013health education, as well as criteria for the use of establishments for medical attention as clinical fields for the provision of the social service of medicine and stomatology.
Similarly, an initiative to generate the “Law on Security of Interns in the health area in Durango” where they reformulate and establish rights of interns and improvements to the health infrastructure.
The federal government They demand a 100% increase in the social service scholarship, urgent reform of the aforementioned regulation, as well as reform and completion of PROY-NOM-038-SSA3-2016, health education, removal of interns from rural areas with a high rate of insecurity and promote the generation of laws that protect interns in the health area.
the job is signed by social service medical interns of the state of Durango, dental service interns of the state of Durango and social service interns of the Bachelor of Nursing of the state of Durango.
The protest ended with shouts of “Justice! Justice!“, and with claims of the fathers and mothers of families who asked to disturb and take officials out of their comfort zone to attend to the requests, in which they also included the lack of supplies and medicines and basic services such as drinking water and electricity in the communities where their children live.