Don’t joke about students’ health!
Don’t joke about students’ health!
The health center for youth and students are in danger of getting a much worse and more expensive welfare service, because the majority parties in Ås (H, FrP, Sp, INP) are considering not continuing the collaboration on the wealth center.
Today is the health center a collaboration between Ås municipality, SiÅs and NMBU where the cost is shared between them. The current agreement expires in June 2025. If it does not get renewed, SiÅs and NMBU must take care of the entire cost. In practice are the consequences that the students have to pay through higher tuition fees, which will worsen the already strained student economy.
We in Ås MDG, find this completely unacceptable!
The services provided by the health center means lot for students that use it. The health center offers students free healthcare in areas as sexual health, psychosocial health, sexuality and lifestyle issues. If the municipality withdraws, the services would be weakened, since SiÅs and NMBU don’t have the economic capacity to maintain the service without financial support from the municipality. This is happening during a time when many students are struggling mentally and has a need for healthcare. Numbers from the student’s health- and wellbeing survey (SHoT) show that as many as one in three students can have mental health issues. At the same time shows numbers from SSB that students have more mental health issues then those who work of the same age, and that the number has increased over time.
It is then completely wrong to worsen the student healthcare service.
The municipality is obligated to take care of the health of students
MDG believes that the law is clear that the municipality is obligated to maintain the student’s healthcare services and we would like to see that the service be better. The Health and Care Services Act clearly states that municipalities shall ensure that people who are living in the municipality are offered the necessary health- and care services. With over 7000 students that are living in the municipality during their studies, a student health service must be provided for all NMBU students.
At the last municipal council meeting, the municipal director presented a proposal to evaluate the services and whether the collaboration should continue. The municipality pointed out that Ås is the only municipality with a university that pays for student healthcare services. That is not correct. In places like Trondheim and Bergen, municipalities also pay for student health service.
When the municipal council was voting whether we should get an evaluation on the matter, there was many misunderstandings in the council, some was scared that “older students” would scare teenagers from using the health services in the municipality. There is no indication that youth don’t use the healthcare center because students also use it.
The student environment in Ås is worth keeping!
We have a truly unique student environment in Ås, with the most satisfied students in the country for nine years in a row. That is worth keeping! We need to ensure we deliver good services to students, so the student experience and the wellbeing remain high! It should feel good to be a student in Ås.
In 2020 the engagement from students saved the healthcare center, through a torchlight procession with the maximum number of participants allowed at outdoor events during the corona pandemic. The engagement made the politicians realise how important the services are for the students at NMBU. We hope the politicians will come to their senses again this time!
The municipality benefits from the students
The municipality benefits greatly when students register their residence, and students are an inexpensive group of people to have in the municipality. Because of the municipality residence campaign, have about 500 students registered their residence each year, providing the municipality with about 18 million NOK more to work with annually. Students rarely use any other health and care services, hardly use school- and kindergarten services, none of the municipality’s social housing services, etc. So, the net economy for the municipality is very positive by having the students here.
MDG hopes that the evaluation the municipality is conducting, will be done thoroughly before it is delivered so that misunderstandings don’t take hold.
What can you do?
To save the student healthcare center is top priority for us in the Green Party (MDG), and we hope that we and all students and staff at NMBU can ensure the continuation of the collaboration on the health care center.
We need as many people as possible the stand up for the health center by signing the petition by scanning the QR code below.
The issue will be discussed and decided in the municipal council on October 23rd, follow the case on our Instagram: @as_mdg, and feel free to sign the petition!
It is time to take the students seriously!
With green and friendly regards,
Magnus Dybdahl,
Municipal Council Representative, Ås MDG
