The University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus is pushing back against claims circulating online about its handling of a recent medical emergency involving a student.
An open letter published by an online outlet alleged that a lecturer failed to respond when a student suffered a seizure during a class on Monday, September 29. But campus officials say the account misrepresents what actually took place.
According to the university, the student, who had disclosed a medical condition upon admission, has long been supported through special accommodations. These include having a family member present during lectures and tutorials.
On the day of the incident, the relative was in attendance and provided immediate assistance, before the student was taken to the campus medical station staffed by qualified nurses.
“The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority,” the campus stated. “The established system worked as intended.”
Campus officials added that the lecturer spoke with students who witnessed the incident, and counselling support has been made available to anyone who may have been affected.
The university also criticized the publication for not verifying details before going public, noting that the student’s family has expressed both gratitude for the support received and frustration that the matter was used to stir “public mischief.”
The UWI Five Islands Campus emphasized that its medical station operates daily from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., with nurses on duty and clear emergency protocols in place for staff and students with declared health conditions.
“We remain proud of the safe and caring environment at Five Islands and reaffirm our commitment to safeguarding our campus community,” the statement concluded.
People love to run with half a story online. Glad UWI cleared the air and explained what really happened.
Seizures are scary to witness, so counselling support for other students is a smart move by the university.
At the same time, it highlights how important responsible reporting is. Before publishing sensitive claims, especially about a medical emergency, media outlets really should verify their information. Otherwise, they risk creating unnecessary panic or mistrust.
We have to be careful about whay we report. The again this is antigua and the people here say and do ad they like
Happy the student alright and family satisfied. Media haffi stop run behind hype and get the facts straight
Well the university should know that’s how we operate. Write a story then fact check. Get with the program. All u late 😭
I think the university was right to set the record straight, because public confidence in a school’s ability to keep students safe is very important. It’s also good that counselling was offered to other students who may have been shaken by the incident that shows a caring approach.
Swift communication from the university, along with government support, is crucial. Safety protocols and emergency response training for students are key steps forward.
This situation really shows how quickly misinformation can spread online and how damaging it can be if people don’t get the full facts. From what UWI Five Islands has explained, it seems like there were already clear protocols in place, the student had support from a family member, and the campus medical team stepped in right away. That doesn’t sound like neglect at all
So the school do what dem supposed to do and still get blast online? Smh, people love mix up
Everything turn into scandal in Antigua if people don’t check facts. Thank God the youth had support and nurses on site