Joint action among universities in favor of students of rotating internship

The 20 of May, in the facilities of the House of Services of the University of Azuay, held the press conference to communicate the actions taken jointly by the Medical Sciences faculties of Cuenca for the defense of the students of Rotary internship.

The event was attended by Francisco Salgado, Rector of the University of Azuay; Pablo Vanegas Peralta, Rector of the University of Cuenca; Enrique Pozo Cabrera, Rector of the Catholic University of Cuenca, deans of the faculties of medical sciences and Bernardo Vega, President of the Ecuadorian Association of Faculties of Medicine and Health (AFEME).

The universities of the city of Cuenca have carried out joint actions and projects for two years, so there was a closeness that today allows coordinating measures after the conflict unleashed by the government decision to reduce the financial stipend of rotating boarding students.

Francisco Salgado pointed out that the 17 of May the Minister of Health, Veronica Espinoza, signed with representatives of the Ecuadorian University and boarding students a commitment letter that would help to calm the tension that is experienced not only in the city of Cuenca, but also in all the country.

Bernardo Vega Crespo, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Cuenca and President AFEME, informed that the agreement signed previously ended the demonstrations that took place in the different cities of the country, as well as the restitution of the scholarship stipend.

Although this agreement does not solve the underlying problem, since it is a temporary solution. For this reason, the city's universities, with the support of AFEME, have filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court calling for the repeal of the 345-2019 ministerial decree that determines this reduction in stipends.

This demand was prepared by the law professors of the University of Azuay, Sebastián López, Subdecano of the Faculty of Legal Sciences, and José Chalco Salgado and will be presented on Tuesday 21 in Quito.

The universities also propose to the Higher Education Council (CES) and the Interinstitutional Commission the reform of the Academic Regulations in relation to the rotating internship model, suggesting to reduce the working hours of 80 to 60 hours per week and to have 12 shifts hours and no longer 24 hours.

Enrique Pozo, Rector of the Catholic University, said that maintaining legal actions will guarantee respect for the rights of students

Cuenca is the first city in the country to take joint and legal actions with its universities to support medical science students, as a way of demonstrating that the Ecuadorian university, by joining, can propose actions that allow it to defend and recover the rights of its citizens. students.