50 medical students from oil-rich districts win TotalEnergies scholarship
Dr Emintone Odong Ayella, Medical Director at St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor (left), and Philippe Groueix, TotalEnergies Country Chair for Uganda (right), pose for a photo after signing the memorandum of understanding last weekend.
What you need to know:
- France energy giant, TotalEnergies, is one of the major players in Uganda’s oil and gas sector.
TotalEnergies Uganda has awarded scholarships to 50 medical students from Uganda’s oil-rich districts to pursue nursing and midwifery training at St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor Training Institute in Gulu City.
The initiative is part of the education and health support program by the oil company, targeting students from Buliisa, Nwoya, Pakwach, Masindi, Hoima, and Kikuube—districts within the Albertine Graben.
The announcement followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on April 14 between TotalEnergies and St. Mary’s Lacor Hospital, which will serve as one of the training centres for the scholarship recipients.
Dr Emintone Odong Ayella, Medical Director at Lacor Hospital, welcomed the partnership, saying “it would help strengthen Uganda’s healthcare system.”
“Our institute started 32 years ago with just eight nursing students, and we’ve since produced professionals serving in Uganda and abroad,” he said.
He added: “We are excited to be part of this program that will positively impact the health sector in Uganda.”
The scholarships are part of a TotalEnergies initiative supporting 100 students nationwide to pursue careers in nursing and midwifery. The first cohort will begin studies in July 2025, coinciding with TotalEnergies’ centenary celebrations.
Philippe Groueix, TotalEnergies’ Country Chair for Uganda, said the company is committed to empowering young Ugandans.
“Our commitment to youth inclusion and education, as well as our support for enhanced healthcare, aims to empower young people to drive positive change and contribute to Uganda’s sustainable development,” Groueix said.
The scholarship covers a two-year and six-month training programme designed to address critical shortages in Uganda’s health workforce, especially in underserved regions affected by the oil and gas developments.
According to data from TotalEnergies, the oil and gas sector currently employs over 9,440 Ugandans, representing 90 percent of the workforce in the industry.
TotalEnergies is one of the major players in Uganda’s oil and gas sector and is leading development of the Tilenga oil project and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).
The company said future phases of the scholarship programme could expand to include additional districts and training institutions, depending on performance and funding.
