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Dubbed "Merck More than a Mother campaign", it aims to create awareness and educate people on the need not to see infertility as a female problem, but also as a problem to which men contribute 50% of causative factors .
Merck Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Merck, a German pharmaceutical, chemical and life sciences multinational, and launched the Merck More than a Mother campaign in May 2018 in Namibia as an initiative for the sub-region.
At the launch of the campaign in Accra last Monday, the First Lady was named Ambassador "Merck More Than a Mother".
With the support of the First Lady through its Rebecca Foundation, the initiative aims to empower sterile women through access to information, education and health and by changing the mentality.
The initiative also supports governments in shaping policies to improve access to regulated, safe and effective fertility care.
As part of the campaign, which is also in collaboration with the Fertility Society of Ghana (FERSOG), the initiative will help respond to the need for interventions to break the stigma on infertile women.
In collaboration with academics and international fertility societies, the initiative will also provide education and medical training for health professionals and embryologists to build and promote fertility care in Africa and in developing countries. development.
Fertility experts
Fertility experts' data indicate that the causes of infertility between couples were 50% for men and 50% for women.
According to experts, even if these infertility problems could be solved when faced in advance, most people became aware later in life when infertility had already begun.
The main causes of infertility in men and women are thought to be untreated infections, while 85% of infertility among couples is treatable.
Co-hosting
The first general director of the First Lady and the Merck Foundation, Dr Rasha Kelej, will host the sixth edition of the Merck Africa-Asia Luminary in Accra from 29 October to 30 October 2019 as part of the awareness-raising activities.
Mr Akufo-Addo, in his speech, revealed that "before participating in the Senegal event last year, I was surprised to learn that one in four couples in developing countries suffers from infertility ".
This, he said, was a very high prevalence rate, adding that "what troubled me most is that most cases of infertility are due to infectious diseases, such as sexually transmitted diseases, genital mutilation, dangerous abortion and childbirth. insecure.
These are mostly preventable. I am therefore pleased that the main objective of the Merck More than a Mother campaign is prevention ".
In October 2018, the First Lady, 10 African First Lady and 12 health ministers went to Senegal to celebrate the first anniversary of the Merck Foundation and the fifth edition of Merck Africa Asia Luminary in Senegal.
The ceremony attracted over a thousand African health workers from 58 countries who have benefited from several medical education sessions.
According to the First Lady, "This year we aim to invite other First Ladies and health ministers and participants from over 60 countries to come to Ghana and share knowledge and experience, with the goal of improving access. to equitable and innovative health solutions ".
"We are also working with the creative sector to tackle infertility, so we are working with both the National Film and Television Institute (NVTI) and the Ghana Fashion Academy to create songs, films and innovative ideas to reach young people with messages to break the stigma of infertile women, "he added.
Merck Foundation
Ms. Akufo-Addo praised the foundation by saying, "In fact, our collaboration with Merck has been of great benefit to Ghana."
Between 2017 and 2018, Merck Foundation provided scholarships to five Ghanaian doctors to undertake a one-year diploma course in diabetics and preventive cardiovascular medications in the United Kingdom.
The foundation, through its Merck Cancer Access Program, has also provided a year and two years of oncological fellowship and master programs for Ghana doctors to study at Tata Memorial Hospital in India and at the Cairo University in Egypt. Furthermore, the Merck Foundation has formed many embryologists.
In his speech, the managing director of the Merck Foundation, Dr Rasha Kelej, said he had initiated a cultural change to stigmatize infertility at all levels by improving awareness, training the skills of local experts , promoting defense in cooperation with decision makers and supporting women without children to start their small businesses.
The foundation, he said, was to give every woman the respect and help she deserved to live a fulfilling life, with or without a child.
Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu said that until now infertility between couples was seen as a taboo word, but today people have become more aware of the problems in question.
He invited couples to look for alternative remedies such as "science has overcome infertility problems".
Ms. Cynthia Morrison, Minister for Gender Equality, Children and Interaction with Social Protection, urged couples to consider the issue of adoption when they were introduced. ; infertility.
He said his ministry was working to make the adoption processes less cumbersome for the people concerned.
The president of the Fertility Society of Ghana, Dr Edem Hiadzi, said in a welcoming speech that more men have now understood the issues of infertility in marriages and have reported together with their wives for treatment.
She said that "More than a campaign for mothers" would help raise awareness further to educate more people to understand and accept infertility problems in marriage.
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