MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has bared its plan to establish a scholarship program for medical students.
Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople said having a scholarship program on medical courses would be a good investment for the country.
“We shall propose the establishment of a scholarship fund for students who wish to enroll in medical courses,” Ople said in a statement yesterday.
This would enable the country to maintain a talent pool of dedicated and hardworking health workers over time, she added.
Ople said the Philippines may even seek support for the program from other foreign governments, particularly those employing Filipino health care workers.
“In our bilateral labor talks with countries that wish to avail themselves of the services of Filipino health workers, we can perhaps seek their support by way of scholarship grants,” she added.
Ople said she would propose the program when the DMW holds a meeting with the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Foreign Affairs and Commission on Higher Education on Monday.
Earlier, the DOH said the country needs 106,000 nurses both in private and public health care institutions.
The DOH attributed the shortage of nurses and other health care workers to the continued migration of medical professionals.