Merck Foundation Marks “World Health Day” 2023

Merck Foundation and African First Ladies together mark ‘World Health Day’ 2023 by transforming patient care by providing 1580 scholarships to doctors from 50 countries. Merck Foundation is leading Africa to a healthier future by working closely with their partners to improve access to quality and equitable Healthcare and awareness in Africa and beyond.

Merck Foundation CEO announces the Call for Applications for the 8 different Merck Foundation Media, Fashion, Film and Song Awards 2023 for talents from the Media, Fashion, Film and Music fields to enable them be health and social champions in their countries.

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany marks “World Health Day” 2023 together with African First Ladies who are also Ambassadors of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Campaign. In accordance with the theme of “World Health Day” 2023 – ‘Health for All’, Merck Foundation’s vision is to provide quality and equitable healthcare solutions to underserved and vulnerable populations, leading Africa and rest of the world to a healthier future.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of “More Than a Mother” Campaign shared, “At Merck Foundation, every day is about ‘Healthcare for All’. Our vision is that everyone can lead healthy and happy life. For 10 years this has been true in our mission to build healthcare capacity and transform patient care landscape. I am proud to share that Merck Foundation has provided than 1580 scholarships to young doctors from 50 countries in 36 critical and underserved specialties.

We are making history and legacy in Africa by training the first Fertility specialists, Embryologists, Oncologists, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Respiratory experts and more in many countries like Liberia, The Gambia, Burundi, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Guinea and Ethiopia, Congo, Nepal, Bangladesh etc. Together with our partners like Africa’s First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Gender, Education and Communication, we are impacting the lives of people in the most disadvantaged communities in Africa and beyond.”

This year on World Health Day, Merck Foundation in partnership with African First Ladies, announced 8 important Awards for Media, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers and Musicians/ Singers, under two themes; 1) Breaking Infertility Stigma, Support Girls’ Education, End Child Marriage, End FGM, Stopping GBV and/ or Women Empowerment at all levels and 2) Promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

“It has been my dream and vision since I started my advocacy journey in 2012, that we involve and engage everyone in a way that they can make a difference through their day-to-day work and create a cultural shift. We have recently recognized 84 Media Awards Winners of 2022 Awards.

I invite African Artists, media and young talents of Africa, to be the voice of the voiceless, break the silence, through your exciting work, this year too. Send us your entries at [email protected]”, she adds.

Merck Foundation continues create an impact in raising awareness about a wide range of social and health issues such as Ending Child marriage, Ending FGM, Stopping GBV, Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education and Women Empowerment and more. Merck Foundation has also created more than 30 several songs and 8 children’s storybooks to address these issues.
Click here to listen to the “No More Diabetes” remix song in three languages: https://apo-opa.info/41bYSw2
Click here to read ‘Sugar Free Jude’ children storybook created to promote healthy lifestyle and raise awareness on the early detection, prevention, and management of Diabetes for children and youth across Africa in English, French and Portuguese: https://apo-opa.info/3Kk87nf
Moreover, Merck Foundation CEO, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej has also conceptualized, produced, directed, and hosted “OUR AFRICA”, a unique pan African TV program, to address the important health and social issues in a very interesting, informative but entertaining way, through the ‘Fashion and Art with Purpose’ Community, established by her. The TV program has been broadcasted on National TV Stations of Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and soon to be also broadcast in The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, and Botswana.

“We will continue our mission to build healthcare capacity, transform patient care landscape, create a culture shift, break infertility stigma, empower women and support girl education in order to impact the lives of people in the most disadvantaged communities in Africa and beyond. Let us all work together towards a world where everyone can lead a healthy and fulfilling life”, concluded Senator, Dr. Kelej.