Malawian students to benefit from $200 million bachelor of medicine bachelor of surgery scholarship
Ministry of Health and University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in Rwanda have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will enable Malawi to be sending five medical students to UGHE every year, leading to the award of a six and half years bachelor of medicine bachelor of surgery (MBBS) with honours.
The scholarship will run for 25 years and begins this year. On top of the MBBS, the students will also earn a Master of Science in Global Health Delivery.
Speaking after signing the MoU on Monday in Lilongwe, Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Health, Dr. Charles Mwansambo, hailed the scholarship, describing it as important in Malawi’s quest to improve her heath service delivery.
“It is an opportunity for it will help the country to beef up the number of highly qualified health workers who will help in improving service delivery in public health facilities.
“This is a competitive scholarship. Upon applying, deserving students will be selected objectively by a competent team,” Mwansambo said.
UGHE is an initiative of Partners in Health (PIH), a global health service organization whose projects are implemented in many countries, including Malawi.
The MBBS scholarship, which will benefit about 3000 medical students across the World, came following the mobilization of $200 million by PIH’s global partners pursuing the continuation of the vision of Paul Farmer, PIH’s Founder and UGHE’s Chancellor. Farmer died on 21 February in 2022.
PIH Malawi Executive Director, Dr. Luckson Dullie, said he is excited that the scholarship is fulfilling Farmer’s vision, more especially with the signing of the MoU enabling Malawi to send students to UGHE for training.
“Farmer’s vision was not only training highly competent health professionals but people who would also focus on their professions and work in ensuring equity of distribution of healthcare,” Dullie said.
PIH’s global partners that contributed to the scholarship, include, among others: Gates Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, Rockefeller Foundation and Child Relief International Foundation.
