Thousands of Al-Azhar University students have protested the lack of medical facilities on campus after a student died.
Ahmed El-Baz, an engineering student, died after suffering a heart attack on Saturday. His colleagues accuse the university medical clinic of being unavailable to help him.
Protesting students gathered at the university administrative building on Sunday holding banners saying, “Welcome to the city of the dead." They closed the campus gates and demanded the people responsible for the lack of medical facilities be held accountable.
The protest at Al-Azhar coincides with scheduled nationwide student protests for better education, enhanced services on campuses, and the education minister's removal.
The student union issued a statement demanding an immediate investigation into “massive medical negligence” on campus, pointing out they had frequently warned the authorities about the lack of medical services.
Around 500 students at Al-Azhar were hospitalised on 1 April after suffering food poisoning at the university’s cafeteria.
The incident led to the sacking of the president of Al-Azhar University.
