Merck Foundation Hosts 13th Africa Asia Luminary Conference, Highlights Healthcare Capacity Building.
By Festus Ronoh | BOMET,
Merck-foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA, has convened the 13th edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary, bringing together First Ladies, healthcare experts, policymakers, academics, and media representatives from across Africa and Asia.
The two-day conference, held virtually on June 18 and 19, was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp and Dr. Rasha Kelej, alongside First Ladies from 12 African and Asian countries who participated as Guests of Honor and keynote speakers.
Speaking during the opening session, Dr. Kelej said the annual gathering provides an important platform for sharing experiences and discussing the impact of programs aimed at improving healthcare and addressing critical social and health challenges.
She noted that the foundation has so far provided more than 2,600 scholarships to healthcare professionals from 52 countries in 44 underserved medical specialties.
According to her, many beneficiaries have become the first specialists in their respective countries, helping to transform healthcare services and patient care.
Prof. Stangenberg-Haverkamp praised the continued support of First Ladies, government officials, healthcare experts, and development partners, reaffirming the foundation’s commitment to expanding access to quality and equitable healthcare across Africa and Asia.
Among the First Ladies who participated were Rachel Ruto, Ana Dias Lourenço, Kaone Boko, Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow, and Oluremi Tinubu, among others.
The conference also marked World Infertility Awareness Month through the foundation’s “More Than a Mother” campaign, which seeks to empower infertile and childless women through access to information, healthcare, education, and advocacy aimed at eliminating stigma.
Dr. Kelej revealed that more than 800 of the scholarships awarded by the foundation have focused on fertility, embryology, sexual and reproductive medicine, women’s health, family medicine, psychiatry, urology, and laparoscopic surgical skills. She said the initiative is helping strengthen fertility care services and improve women’s health in 42 countries.
The event additionally celebrated the ninth anniversary of Merck Foundation and 14 years since the launch of its development programs in 2012.
More than 800 participants from 57 English-, French-, and Portuguese-speaking countries attended the first day of the conference. The event was also livestreamed on social media, attracting over 220,000 viewers worldwide.
The second day of the conference is set to feature parallel scientific sessions focusing on oncology and fertility, providing healthcare professionals with opportunities to exchange knowledge and discuss emerging trends in patient care.
