By: G. Bennie Bravo Johnson, I
The Office of First Lady Kartumu Yarta Boakai in collaboration with the Merck Foundation and the Ministry of Health, has launched over 75 fully-funded scholarships to train health workers in critical medical specializations as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s healthcare system.
The initiative, unveiled Tuesday targets Liberian doctors, nurses, and technicians with advanced training opportunities both online and on-campus at leading universities in the United Kingdom and India.
The launch was announced during an interactive forum with more than 100 Liberian health practitioners at the A. M. Kyne Collegiate Resource Center, William V. S. Tubman High School in Sinkor, Monrovia.
The session provided detailed guidance on the scholarship programs, including eligibility requirements, available specializations, and the application process. To qualify, applicants must be Liberian health practitioners with appropriate academic credentials, along with formal recommendations from the Office of the First Lady and the Ministry of Health. Final selection will be determined by the Merck Foundation upon acceptance by the host universities.
The scholarships cover a wide range of high-demand fields. For doctors, opportunities are available in oncology (medical, pediatric, gynecological, surgical, and radiation), breast surgery, pain and palliative medicine, pathology, interventional radiology, head and neck surgery, reproductive medicine, diabetology and hypertension, pediatric cardiology, endocrinology, neurosurgery, spine surgery, geriatrics, infectious diseases, rheumatology, critical care, stroke medicine, family medicine, cardiology, pediatrics, women’s health, urology, and gastroenterology.
For nurses and technicians, specialized training will be offered in oncology nursing, radiation technology, laboratory technology, oncology research, and cytoscreener training. Applications officially opened immediately after the forum. Interested candidates were instructed to submit updated resumes to the Office of the First Lady, after which they will be added to a dedicated group to receive centralized guidance and support throughout the application process.
Speaking at the launch, Mr. Varfee Holmes, Senior Communications Consultant in the Office of the First Lady and liaison with the Merck Foundation, underscored that the program aligns with the First Lady’s broader commitment to improving Liberia’s healthcare delivery. He noted, “The First Lady is not just interested in modernizing maternal health facilities but also ensuring that Liberia has qualified nurses and doctors ready to provide quality medical services in our public hospitals.”
Holmes added that as Maternal Health Champion, Mrs. Boakai is determined to deliver on her pledge to promote quality healthcare for all citizens during her tenure. The Office of the First Lady emphasized that this initiative will empower Liberia’s frontline healthcare workers with top-notch training, enabling them to deliver high-quality care and ultimately save lives.
