Twenty students who will take up the new Health Science study at the National University of Samoa will get scholarships with funding provided by the New Zealand government.

This was disclosed by Minister of Health, Valasi Tafito Selesele in his remarks during a visit by a New Zealand government delegation to the university last week.

"The assistance by the government of New Zealand has enabled to fund 20 scholarship opportunities for students interested in undertaking this programme for the next three years and we hope this will continue in future years taking into account the dire need to build the capacity of health workers to deliver safe and quality health services to promote the health and wellbeing of our population," he said.

New Zealand will also fund the design and construction of the Public Health Laboratory, the construction of the Nurses Multipurpose Training Centre, and the establishment of multi-disciplinary teams in rural district hospitals.

The minister also revealed that New Zealand will provide support in strengthening of Samoa’s health system through the works of the Polynesian Health Corridors under its four broad pillars.

The help will be to see improved access to essential medicines, support pandemic preparedness and response through COVID-19 response and immunization programs, support cancer prevention and treatment and mental health.