Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO with Heads of Fertility Societies of Francophone Countries during the Merck Foundation Annual Summit in Cote d’Ivoire.
Merck Foundation conducted Côte D’Ivoire Summit 2024 in Abidjan, chaired by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees and myself. The Summit was conducted in partnership with Medical Societies and GIERAF. It was attended by the Presidents of Medical Societies of Côte d’Ivoire and Presidents of Fertility Societies of 14 Francophone African Countries. The Summit was a part of our efforts to underscore our long-term commitment to support to contribute to transforming patient care landscape in Africa, with a special focus on Francophone African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, together with our new partners, the Côte d’Ivoire Medical Societies and Academia and our existing partners like the Fertility Societies of French- speaking African countries such as Cameroon, DRC, Togo, Benin, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Mali.
I am proud to share that we have till today provided more than 1810 scholarships for young doctors from 52 countries in 42 critical and underserved medical specialties. Out of which more than 350 scholarships were provided for young doctors from 14 Francophone African nations. This is a huge number and a great achievement. Also, we have provided more than 100 scholarships in Fertility and Embryology clinical training, in partnership with GIERAF and African Fertility Societies to doctors from 14 Francophone countries. Out of which 7 scholarships have bene provided to young doctors of Côte D’Ivoire, as a part of our “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” Campaign, which is a strong movement that aims to empower women living with infertility stigma through access to information, education, change of mindset, and economic empowerment. “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” defines interventions to build quality and equitable Reproductive and Fertility Care Capacity, Break Infertility Stigma and Raise Awareness about Infertility Prevention and Male Infertility.
Merck Foundation has also been empowering childless and infertile women through our “Empowering Berna” initiative under our “More Than a Mother” movement. This initiative helps women who cannot be treated for infertility anymore by helping them get trained to establish small businesses so that they can be independent and rebuild their lives. Through ‘Empowering Berna’, the lives of many infertile women have been transformed in many African countries like Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Niger, Malawi, and many more. It’s all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to lead a fulfilling life, with or without a child. Over the past seven years, we have worked closely with First Ladies of more than 24 African countries as Ambassadors of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” and we also work very closely with Ministries of Health, Education, Information, Communication, Gender, Academia, Media and Art societies in 52 countries.
Merck Foundation also conducted the First Edition of Health Media Training for the Media Representatives of Côte d’Ivoire, in partnership with National Union of Journalists of Côted’Ivoire (UNJCI). The training was conducted to emphasize on the important role that media plays to influence our society to create a cultural shift with the aim to address wide range of social and health issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels; to underscore the importance of Empowering Girls and Women in Education and to understand the Influence of infertility stigma and other social issues like GBV, Child Marriage, FGM etc. on women and couples – Social and Psychological Impact. Apart from this, it also included a session on the importance of increasing the awareness of early detection and prevention of Diabetes and Hypertension. The training session was addressed by top Medical and Media Experts and was attended by over 50 journalists from Abidjan.
During the Training Session, ‘More Than Mother’, The First Animation FILM to emphasize strong family values of love and respect from a young age which will reflect on eliminating the stigma of infertility and the resulted domestic violence in the future, was also screened.
Watch the “More Than a Mother” Animation Film:
During the training session, We have also announced the Call for Applications for the 8 Awards. I invite theMedia, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents in these fields from Côte d’Ivoire to apply for our awards here
and see the list of winners from 2023.
We are committed for the past 12 years, since 2012, towards healthcare capacity advancement, patient care transformation and reshaping the landscape of the public healthcare sector in Africa and beyond.
Kind Regards,
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej,
CEO of Merck Foundation
President of “More Than a Mother” Campaign
