OUSA joins ‘Keep Neurosurgery in Dunedin’ Campaign

OUSA joins ‘Keep Neurosurgery in Dunedin’ Campaign

The Otago University Students Association on Tuesday night passed the following Executive motion “THAT the OUSA Executive supports the ‘Keep Neurosurgery in Dunedin campaign’.

“It’s vital we keep essential health services in Dunedin” said OUSA President Harriet Geoghegan, “this loss would affect our members training to be health professionals, and those who are in need of neurosurgery”

David McKelvey, OUSA’s Health Sciences Divisional Representative told the meeting he was concerned a loss of elective neurosurgery would be the ‘thin end of the wedge’ for other surgical areas.

“Dunedin needs to be able to attract and keep good neurosurgeons and other surgical practitioners” he said. “This deterioration in our ability to offer certain elective surgeries will have flow on effects through the medical school and will eventually result in a decrease in Dunedin’s ability to attract top calibre medical students to the University.”

The Association is encouraging as many students and University staff as possible to attend the planned march this Friday to oppose the removal of elective neurosurgery.

“This is a big issue for the Dunedin community, and OUSA along with all of our 20,000 plus members are part of that community” said Geoghegan.

ENDS

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