Banjul: Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, recently met with the First Lady of Central Africa and six other First Ladies from Africa at the 12th Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary event. This annual conference was organized in partnership with the Government of The Gambia and co-chaired by H.E. Mrs. Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow, First Lady of Gambia, and Dr. Kelej. The conference featured H.E. Madam Brigitte Touadera, the First Lady of Central Africa, along with the First Ladies of Burundi, Liberia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Senegal as Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers.
According to African Press Organization, Dr. Rasha Kelej expressed her satisfaction in meeting H.E. Madam Brigitte Touadera, noting their partnership since 2015 and the significant milestones achieved, such as providing scholarships for young doctors in Central Africa to specialize in fields like Oncology and Diabetes. H.E. Madam Brigitte Touadera highlighted the partnership’s role in advancing healthcare capacity in Central Africa and efforts to break the stigma around infertility.
In addition to healthcare initiatives, Merck Foundation’s Education Linda program provides scholarships to 40 underprivileged schoolgirls annually, enabling them to complete their education. The conference’s first day also featured a plenary session and a ministerial panel discussion to strategize on building scientific research capacity and empowering women in STEM fields.
On the event’s second day, the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative committee meeting discussed the impact of Merck Foundation programs and future strategies. Additionally, Merck Foundation, in collaboration with the First Lady of Central Africa, announced a call for applications for awards aimed at encouraging young talents to raise awareness on issues like infertility stigma, girl education, and gender-based violence through various art forms.
Merck Foundation’s initiatives include online health media training, releasing storybooks, and creating animation films to address social and health issues. The 12th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary was live-streamed on social media platforms, reaching a broad audience.
The partnership between Merck Foundation and its African partners has resulted in over 2,500 scholarships for healthcare providers and initiatives to address social and health issues through media training, awards, songs, storybooks, and animation films, impacting communities across Africa and beyond.