Conservative Activists Take Aim At Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship

A federal program aimed at placing Native Hawaiian doctors and nurses in underserved communities faces a legal challenge. The advocacy group Do No Harm has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They argue that the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program is unconstitutional because it discriminates based on race. The program, established in 1988, provides financial aid to Native Hawaiians who commit to working in rural areas. Critics say the lawsuit threatens the program's future. Papa Ola Lōkahi, which runs the program, defends its importance for culturally informed healthcare in Hawaii.