MOH-BARMM offers medical scholarships to Bangsamoro students

COTABATO CITY — Bangsamoro graduates of pre-medical courses may avail themselves of free medical schooling as the Ministry of Health (MOH) offers scholarships starting August this year.

MOH Minister Dr. Bashary Latiph and University of Southern Mindanao (USM) President Francisco Gil Garcia, PhD inked a memorandum of agreement on Monday, July 12, in Kabacan, North Cotabato, to formally start the Bangsamoro Medical Scholarship Program in the university.

Dr. Latiph said the scholarship is a milestone in the effort to attain optimum healthcare service to the people of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“This memorandum of agreement is the first step towards the realization of more healthcare professionals, especially doctors, for BARMM and Region 12,” Latiph said.

Latiph added that the scholarship will cover 100 percent of all expenses of the scholar that include school tuition fees, miscellaneous fees, monthly allowance, book allowance, uniforms, laboratory fees, and other expenses that will be incurred during the classes.

A total of 30 students will be scholars in USM. The Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) in Zamboanga City and the Brokenshire College, Inc. in Davao City are the ministry's two other partner schools for the medical scholarship, with 15 and six scholars, respectively.

The Bangsamoro Medical Scholarship Program has an allocation of Php14.354 million under MOH’s 2021 annual budget.

Garcia said the medical scholarship from the BARMM will help in addressing the maldistribution of medical doctors by producing doctors who will serve their communities.

“There is just a ratio of one medical doctor for every four thousand people in this part of the country,” Garcia added.

Dr. Tato Usman, chief of MOH’s Health Human Resource Development, said the scholarship gives priority to Bangsamoro people residing in the region, and they will be required to do return of service to their communities.

“After their graduation, and when they pass the board exam, they will serve the Bangsamoro,” Usman said, adding that they may serve either in the public health or hospitals that will only take for two years.

The scholarship is open to Bangsamoro people residing in the region, especially those health professionals who are serving in government health offices, children and dependent of BARMM employees, barangay health workers, traditional birth attendants and families of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants, current medical students who intend to avail the program this year, and those who have not granted with scholarship program before. (Bangsamoro Information Office)