DUBAI: Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, recently hosted the 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event, held on June 19th and 20th, was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of the Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of the MFFLI, alongside First Ladies from 14 African and Asian countries. These First Ladies joined as Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers.
According to African Press Organization, the summit served as a platform for exchanging experiences and engaging in discussions on the impact of Merck Foundation's programs aimed at transforming patient care and raising awareness about social and health issues. Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej emphasized the significance of the event, expressing her honor in welcoming the esteemed Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers and highlighting the role of the First Ladies as Ambassadors of the More Than a Mother campaign.
Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp reiterated Merck Foundation's commitment to improving health and well-being by building healthcare capacity and providing access to quality healthcare solutions across Africa, Asia, and beyond. He thanked the Ambassadors and partners for their support and collaboration in working towards the foundation's vision.
The First Ladies in attendance, who are also Ambassadors of the More Than a Mother campaign, included representatives from Angola, Cabo Verde, the Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, and Zimbabwe. These leaders participated in high-level discussions and shared insights on healthcare and social issues.
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej highlighted the foundation's achievement of providing over 2500 scholarships to young doctors from 52 countries in critical and underserved specialties. She noted that many scholarship recipients have become the first specialists in their countries, transforming patient care across Africa and beyond. The summit also marked the World Infertility Awareness Month with the foundation's signature campaign More Than a Mother, focusing on empowering infertile and childless women.
The summit featured a plenary session with the First Ladies and a high-level ministerial panel discussion with African Ministers and healthcare experts. Day two included medical and scientific sessions on oncology and fertility topics, as well as a community awareness session through Merck Foundation Health Media Training, addressing social issues like infertility stigma and gender-based violence.
The conference, held in a hybrid format, reached over 6,000 participants from more than 70 countries. It was streamed live on Merck Foundation's social media platforms, allowing a global audience to engage with the discussions.
Merck Foundation's efforts also include training over 3700 media persons to raise awareness about social and health issues, launching annual awards for media coverage, and creating educational materials such as songs, storybooks, and animation films. Additionally, the foundation has provided scholarships to empower underprivileged African schoolgirls and engaged a large audience through its social media channels.