The Northern Samar Provincial Government through Governor Edwin Ongchuan will soon be implementing a scholarship program for aspiring doctors of the province after its Sangguniang Panlalawigan has approved on May 7, 2020 the ordinance creating the Provincial Government of Northern Samar (PGNS) Medical Scholarship Program for indigent and deserving Nortehanons.
Under the PGNS Medical Scholarship Program, the provincial government will pay for the tuition, review and licensure exam fees of the grantee, along with providing him/her with stipend, book and uniform allowance. In return, they will be required to render service in our provincial and district hospitals depending on the number of years for which they have availed of the medical scholarship.
Governor Edwin Ongchuan, whose development agenda includes health, said this is part of the provincial government’s response to the health needs of the people. The lack of doctors has long been a challenge to the province when it comes to addressing health and nutrition issues. “This COVID health emergency has heightened the need for more health professionals, hence we are bent on pursuing the program as soon as possible”, Governor Ongchuan said.
Earlier this year, the Provincial Health Office through Dr. Catherine Miral, Provincial Health Officer I, proposed to Governor Ongchuan to sponsor the study of aspiring doctors, laying down the budgetary requirements for the initial year of the program’s implementation.
Former Provincial Health Officer and now Chairperson of the SP Committee on Health, Dr. Mary Ann Avalon sponsored the ordinance. She is a member of the PGNS Medical Scholarship Program Technical Working Group. (Eastern Visayas CME)
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