SENATOR Paul A. Manglona handed a framed copy of a Senate resolution to a retired physician, James William Toskas, MD, DABFM.
Sen. Paul A. Manglona, right, hands a framed copy of Senate Resolution 21-4 to James William Toskas, MD, DABFM.
Senate Commemorative Resolution 21-04 honors the doctor for his service to the CNMI people and congratulated him on the “momentous occasion of his retirement from the field of medicine.”
The 76-year-old physician had served the CNMI since 1997, providing essential medical services on Saipan, Tinian and Rota. He retired in 2019.
Manglona, the author of the Senate resolution, said he was asked by his colleagues to present it to Toskas. Because of the travel restrictions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the senator said, “I just caught up with Dr. Toskas this weekend.”
The commemorative resolution states that “during his time in service to the people of the CNMI, Dr. James William Toskas willingly took on the obstacles associated with practicing medicine in under-served areas.”
Such challenges, the resolution added, “included being the only on-call emergency room doctor available to our local hospital and clinics; working seven days a week, including holidays; constantly traveling between islands to ensure all three islands received adequate medical attention; and addressing specific patient concerns without support from specialty physicians.”
Despite the challenges, the resolution stated, Toskas made the CNMI his home and continued to provide healthcare services to the Commonwealth until his retirement in 2019.
“During this time, Dr. Toskas and his wife, Jocelyn Gonzaga Toskas, raised their two wonderful children, Jonelle and Ari, as proud residents of the Commonwealth,” the resolution stated.
Dr. Toskas “has always extended his service to the islands beyond hospital doors, becoming an active supporter of local schools, churches and community organizations.”
He “exemplifies an extraordinary citizen whose devotion to our beloved Commonwealth and its people is evident in his career-long mission to ensure all residents of the CNMI have direct access to proper health care.”
