DAVAO CITY – The City Health Office (CHO) disclosed on Thursday that the dormitories housing Indian medical students “are filthy beyond compare”.
Robert L. Oconer, CHO division chief of environment and sanitation said that the dormitory’s main commissary located inside the Davao Medical School Foundation in Bajada “is very filthy”.
“When we inspected the commissary it was filthy beyond compare. The complaints were true. It was so filthy, dirty. It was terrible that I am planning to burn down the place,” Oconer said.
The CHO formed the interagency team after Indian students complained of poor sanitation in the dormitories, strict dorm policies and high fees. The CHO inspected three dormitories of the Davao Medical Education Management Service (DMEMS). The dormitories are managed by Dr. Ashin Mohan.
The interagency team also includes the City Treasurers Office, Bureau of Fire Protection, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Business Bureau.
Oconer said that their team found out that the food prepared in the said commissary is served to the three dormitories.
The official showed pictures to news reporters that they took from the commissary. They showed unsegregated garbage and clogged drainage.
“There are a lot of rats and I have the pictures. I already submitted my report to the Mayor and to the Vice Mayor,” Oconer said.
Oconer said only one of the three dormitories has business permit.
The dormitories also lacked structural requirements and, according to the official, they received complaints that the fire exits are blocked with cases of softdrinks.
Oconer said that he would suggest to the mayor to close the dormitories, but for humanitarian consideration, he said he would recommend to have the commissary and the dormitories totally cleaned up instead.
He estimated that there were almost 1,000 students in the three different dormitories.
Oconer said the CHO also plans to conduct food safety seminar for the employees.
Last week hundreds of Indian medical students trooped to the City Hall to complain about the poor service and abuse against them by dorm manager Dr. Mohan.
Dr. David Pillai, president and chief executive officer of Transworld Education Academy, which has arrangement with Mohan, said on Wednesday that the price of their dormitories is only equivalent to what the students are getting.
Transworld is the main associate of DMSF who brought the majority of Indian students to study in Davao.
Pillai said their dorm price, which has a P7,000 and P10,000-package, already includes breakfast, lunch and dinner for the students. (With reports from Ace R. Morandante/davaotoday.com)
