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….gets more support from African First Ladies
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Merck Foundation, a philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA, Germany, has made a fresh commitment to provide and promote improved health care services for countries in Africa especially those with shortage of Specialists.
The Foundation said they taken action-backed steps that would, expectedly, strengthen the health care system in Africa, particularly in the areas of manpower and logistics that would ensure quality health care services to African countries.
The Foundation also confirmed that the buy-in of African First Ladies (Wives of African leaders) and African Ministers of different sectors have been secured to the course that would, expectedly, herald improved health care services in Nigeria.
The Foundation, in a statement made available to journalists, indicated that the
Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Dr. Rasha Kelej, gave the confirmation in her welcome remarks delivered at the 10th edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary held in India, recently.
She said: “We are strongly committed to healthcare capacity advancement and patient care transformation, and reshaping the landscape of the public healthcare sector in 50 countries in Africa, Asia and beyond.
“I can confirm that Merck Foundation has provided more than 1, 700 scholarships to young doctors from 50 countries in 42 critical and underserved specialties such as; Diabetes, Endocrinology, Oncology, Cardiovascular, Fertility Care, Embryology, Sexual & Reproductive Medicine, Internal Medicine, Respiratory Medicine, Acute Medicine, Critical Care, Paediatric Emergency, Gastroenterology, Rheumatology, Clinical Psychiatry, Urology, Ophthalmology, General Surgery, Trauma & Orthopaedic, Dermatology, Neonatal Care, Pain Management, Emergency & Resuscitation, Laparoscopic Surgical Skills, Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Advanced Surgical Practice, Neuroimaging for Research and many more.
“We are also making history and legacy in Africa by training the first Fertility specialists, Embryologists, Oncologists, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Respiratory experts and more in many African countries like Liberia, The Gambia, Burundi, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Guinea and Ethiopia, Congo and more.
“Together with our partners like Africa’s First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Gender, Education and Communication, Academia, Medical societies, we are impacting the lives of people in the most disadvantaged communities in Africa, Asia and beyond.
“We have come a long way, and had together with our partners, made a significant impact by building healthcare and media capacity, breaking infertility stigma, empowering women particularly childless women, supporting girl-child education and raising awareness on a wide range of social and health care issues. We have achieved great success, and we are improving and amplifying our efforts, year on year.”
She added that, outside healthcare capacity advancement, the Foundation has raised awareness on a wide range of sensitive and critical social and health issues such as ending child marriage, stopping GBV, breaking infertility stigma, ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), women empowerment, diabetes and hypertension awareness; through various initiatives like health media trainings, media awards, fashion designers, filmmakers and singers, songs, children storybook and also animation movies.
Dr. Kelej, highlighted the importance of girl-child education which, according to her, offer numerous benefits to nation’s development and progress. “When girls receive quality education, it empowers them with knowledge, skills, and opportunities, enabling them to make informed choices about their lives.
“This, in turn, leads to improved health outcomes, reduced child mortality rates, and better family planning. Moreover, supporting girl-child education also promotes gender equality and reduces child marriages. With this thought we are successfully implementing our Educating Linda program together with my dear sisters, African First Ladies,” she said.
In a presentation, Chairman of the Executive Board of E.Merck KG and Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, appreciated the African First Ladies for their commitment to the wider range of critical and sensitive social and health issues such affecting the female gender.
He maintained that improved access to quality and equitable healthcare results in a nation’s well-being, thus fostering economic growth, social stability, and individual prosperity. “It also transform the lives of individuals and families across developing countries by improving overall health and productivity.”
He solicited the support of the African First Ladies to the vision of Merck Foundation which focuses on how to make the world live a healthier and happier life. “We are very passionate about breaking infertility stigma around women, but we are also passionate about supporting girl-child education because we strongly believe that raising educated girls means stronger women, stronger families, communities hence stronger and wealthier countries. In fact, educated girls become women who know their rights and duties, they become more than mothers whether they have children or not.”
