Mangaluru: Students from Laxmi Memorial Education Trust staged a protest against the college authorities for the spread Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), in front of the college at Balmatta here, on June 13.
Speaking to mangalorean.com, one of the students said that MRSA has been spreading among the students. “Already more than 150 students have been infected from the skin disease called Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). But the management is not concerned. They are not even providing the treatment for us. If they cannot treat us, let them send us on leave so that we can treat ourselves.” He further said. “When we request them to send us back home for treatment, the Principal gave us a negative reply saying that before joining a nursing college, students should know to take care of themselves.”
Speaking to mangalorean.com, one of the staff said that when the students join a nursing college, they should understand their responsibilities. “When they go near the patients, they should take necessary precautions.”
Later, the Vice president of the college arrived to the premises and met the students. The students demanded him to give in writing and announce 10 days as holiday. As per the students demand, a 10 day holiday was announced for the students to get themselves treated and the protest was called off.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is caused by a strain of staph bacteria that’s become resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat ordinary staph infections. Different varieties of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, commonly called “staph,” exist. Staph bacteria are normally found on the skin or in the nose of about one-third of the population. The bacteria are generally harmless unless they enter the body through a cut or other wound, and even then they usually cause only minor skin problems in healthy people.
Most MRSA infections occur in people who’ve been in hospitals or other health care settings, such as nursing homes and dialysis centers. When it occurs in these settings, it’s known as health care-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). HA-MRSA infections typically are associated with invasive procedures or devices, such as surgeries, intravenous tubing or artificial joints.