Disturbing/Sensitive Photos included
Nuwasasira Lilian, a third student pursuing bachelor of pharmaceutical sciences was one of the seriously injured students in the recently concluded students strike that happened last Friday.
On 11th March 2022, a section of students at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) demonstrated over alteration of their marks on the students’ portal, lack of sockets in lecturer rooms, delayed release of guild funds among other issues.
Police personnel from Mbarara central police station were deployed at the scene to control the angry students who were matching to demand for the release of their friends who were arrested at the onset of the strike.
While preventing the crowd of students from reaching the Mbarara CPS, police fired teargas and rubber bullets which left 6 students injured and Nuwasasira was among those who were severely injured.
It is alleged that Nuwasira was hit by a tear gas canister which damaged her knees and caused lung complications and blood intoxication.
She was rushed to the emergency ward at Mbarara regional referral hospital where she spent days before being transferred to Intensive Care Unit where she currently is.
According to the Guild Health Minister, Isooba Derrick, Lilian was exempted from paying other hospital bills and only meant to buy medications and also meet her other welfare requirements.
One of the classmates to the victim communicated that Lilian’s blood contains high concentration of teargas and she needs urgent help.
‘’Her blood has a very high concentration of teargas which competes with her red blood cells for oxygen, she has been supported on oxygen since Friday. She is being maintained on an expensive drug which costs UGX 170,000 per tablet and she is supposed to take it twice a day,’’ the classmate revealed.
Earlier today, the Guild leadership launched a fundraising drive to save Lilian’s life in which it appealed to all students to contribute anything towards Lilian’s Medical bills.
“Fundraising avenues have been put in place to help save Lilian’s life. We would like to commend the management MRRH, the various lecturers and students that responded positively to this cause. However, the increasing costs of buying her medications and other required logistics have overwhelmed the parents and contributors. We therefore call upon our fellow students and well-wishers to join us and make contributions towards Lilian’s treatment,” Isooba appealed.