02/26/2026
Today, MUNSU Director of Campaigns Rana Abuidris, alongside Nathan Ehigie (MUNSU CNS Representative), CFS-NL, and other local advocates, met with Minister of Health Lela Evans to discuss critical healthcare issues impacting students across Newfoundland and Labrador.
Our priorities were clear:
• Expanding access to gender-affirming care
• Ending unpaid placements for nursing, medical, and pharmacy students
• Improving accessibility to medical school for international students
On gender-affirming care, we received a commitment to work toward making surgeries more accessible within the province so students are not forced to leave their families and support systems during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. This is a meaningful step, and we will actively follow up to ensure it moves from commitment to action.
On paid placements, we were informed that compensation would apply only in rural areas and only where the university identifies workforce need. This conditional approach raises serious concerns. Nursing students do not choose where they are placed, and students supported this government on the principle that no one should be required to work without pay. Geographic limitations and institutional conditions do not resolve the broader issue of unpaid student labour in essential healthcare roles.
Regarding medical school accessibility, we did not receive commitments to increase seats or improve pathways for international students. The stated priority was physician retention. We emphasized that retention must not come at the expense of accessibility. If we want doctors to stay in this province, we must explore comprehensive retention strategies without making the profession less accessible to qualified students.
Students deserve a healthcare system that is equitable, accessible, and sustainable. MUNSU will continue advocating until these commitments reflect the realities students are facing
