The Merck Foundation launched its programs in collaboration with First Lady of Ghana and Ministry of Health

Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com) awarded the First Lady of Ghana to recognize her efforts as ambassador of "Merck More Than a Mother"; Merck Foundation CEO and First Lady of Ghana co-chaired the sixth edition of Merck Africa Asia Luminary in Accra, Ghana, on October 29th and 30th 2019

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck Germany launched their programs in collaboration with The First Lady of Ghana, H.E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO emphasize their commitment to building health care capabilities in the country and finalizing discussions on the annual Merck Foundation conference 6th edition of "Merck Africa Asia Luminary" be co-chaired by Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of the Merck Foundation is The First Lady of Ghana, H. E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO in Accra, Ghana over it 29-30 October 2019.

During the launch event, Merck Foundation also assigned to His Excellency the recognition of his efforts as "Merck more than a mother" Ambassador in the country.

During the conference's steering committee meeting, many new programs were finalized and launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Ghana.

H. E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of Ghana and Merck more than one Mother Ambassador pointed out "We are thrilled to partner with the Merck Foundation and are pleased with their strong commitment and efficient execution of their programs in the country, and these programs will prove to be very significant in impacting our people's progress, as health is very critical to our social and economic development, and I am happy to host and co-host the 6th edition of Merck Africa Asia Luminary. I will continue to support and collaborate with Merck Foundation for all their programs. "

"We are very happy to reward His Excellency First Lady of Ghana, REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO for his great efforts to empower infertile women as Merck's ambassador more than a mother. We have also emphasized our long-term partnership with its Foundation and the Ministry of Health of Ghana to continue building health care capabilities and training doctors in the fields of diabetes, hypertension, fertility and cancer care. Our goal is to improve the health and well-being of people on the continent ", he stressed Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of the Merck Foundation.

"We are grateful to H. E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO for hosting Merck Africa Asia Luminary, the annual conference of the Merck Foundation. More than 1,000 health professionals, policy makers, academics and researchers from over 60 African and Asian countries will be present. The goal is to improve disease management, early detection and prevention, build scientific and health research capabilities and improve access to quality and equitable health solutions throughout Africa and Asia ". Dr. Kelej.

The fifth edition of the Merck Africa Asia Luminary was presided by The president of Senegal, H.E. MACKY SALL in Dakar, in Senegal. He also participated in it 09 First African women is 12 ministers of health. More than 1,000 African health workers from over 60 countries have benefited from several medical education sessions.

Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck More than A Mother, with H. E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of Ghana and Merck more than an ambassador he also conducted a special meeting with more than 100 Ghanaian infertile women to launch Soft Merck more than a mother campaign, identifying their needs and challenges and working on a concrete strategy to break the stigma of infertility through art, media as an effective tool to raise awareness on this sensitive subject. Also, identify interventions to build fertility care capacity in the country so that every infertile couple can have access to information, health care and change in mentality. Both are committed to supporting this cause through an innovative idea that involves all sectors to create a cultural change and have a great impact in a short time.

"Few initiatives to achieve the desired cultural change include the announcement of the Merck more than a prize for recognizing maternal media is Media health training in collaboration with Ghana Journalism Society. Create songs and films in collaboration with Ghanaian artists to address this topic and educate people across the country who will require support from the film industry and students from the National Institute of Film and Television in Ghana. In addition, it involves the fashion industry to convey the message of breaking the stigma of infertile women to the community in everyday life that will be achieved by supporting young designers and students of Ghana Fashion Academy propose innovative ideas to reach young people " Dr. Rasha Kelej added.

The Merck foundation provided clinical training on fertility specialties in the last two years and will continue this program in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to improve access to quality and fair fertility care in the country.

Merck Foundation will also continue to enroll doctors from Ghana into theirs two-year program of oncology and masters as a contribution to improving cancer care in the country.

The Merck foundation also provided five Ghanaian doctors Diploma of diabetes and hypertension for a year and will continue to enroll other doctors in the next five years.

Meet the Merck Foundation Alumni:

Training for clinical fertility management

1. Dr. Jonah Amoah, IIRH, India

2. Dr. Georgina Moore, IIRH, India

3. Dr. James Afetsi Yao, IIRH, India

4. Dr. Joshua Adoboe, Manipal University, India

Oncology: Tata Memorial Center, India

1. Dr. Nihad Salifu, Pediatric Medical Oncology

2. Dr. Kokou H. Amegan-Aho, undergoing pediatric medical oncology

3. Dr. Iddrisu Abdul-Rashid Timtoni, ongoing Master's Degree in Medical Oncology

Diabetes: Postgraduate Diploma in Diabetes Management Medicine with University of South Wales

1. Dr. Gloria Ani-asamoah

2. Dr. Dominic Oduro-Donkor

3. Dr. Victor Ekem

Hypertension: Postgraduate Diploma in Cardiovascular Prevention with the University of South Wales

1. Dr. Florence Akumiah

2. Dr. Joel Allotey

3. Dr. Israel Hagbevor

Meet journalists who have followed Merck Health Media Training:

1. Christable Addo, Ghana News Agency

2. Doreen Andoh, Daily Grapfic

3. Lennox Amagyei-Antwi, the Statesman newspaper

4. Jamila Akweley Okertchiri, daily guide

5. Akua Adufa Aboagye, Peace FM

6. Vincent Addo Nhiyira, Joy FM

Linda Naa Dedei Aryeetey, Ghanaian Times

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the Merck Foundation.

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About the "Merck More Than a Mother" campaign;
The "Merck More than a Mother" initiative aims to empower sterile women through access to information, education and health and by changing mental patterns. This powerful initiative supports governments in shaping policies to improve access to regulated, safe and effective fertility care. It defines interventions to break the stigma on infertile women and sensitizes prevention and management of infertility. In collaboration with the academic world, health ministries and international fertility societies, the initiative also provides education and medical training for health professionals and embryologists to build and promote fertility care in Africa and in developing countries.

With "Merck More than a mother", we initiated a cultural change to stigmatize infertility at all levels: by improving awareness, training the skills of local experts, building advocacy in cooperation with decision makers and supporting women without children in starting their own small business. It is about giving each woman the respect and the help she deserves to live a fulfilling life, with or without a child.

Together with the First Lady of Ghana, H.E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, following Prime ladies they are also i Ambassadors of "Merck More Than a Mother"; H. E. NEO JANE MASISI, The First Lady of Botswana; H. E. DENISE NKURUNZIZA, The First Lady of the Republic of Burundi; H. E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA, the First Lady of the Central African Republic; H. E. HINDA DEBY ITNO, The First Lady of Chad; H. E. DJÈNÈ CONDÈ, The First Lady of Guinea-Conakry; H. E. BAH BARROW FATOUMATTA, First Lady of Gambia; H. E. AISSATA ISSOUFOU MAHAMADOU, The First Lady of Niger; H. E. FATIMA MAADA BIO, The First Lady of Sierra Leone and H.E. ESTHER LUNGU, The First Lady of Zambia.

Also, part of the campaign is our Merck Embriology & Fertility Training Program, a practical three-month practical course in collaboration with IRSI, Indonesia, IIRRH, India and Manipal Academy of Higher Education (Manipal University), India to establish the platform of specialists fertility in Africa and in developing countries. Merck Foundation has provided more than 84 candidates, in clinical and practical training for fertility and embryologist specialists in over 29 countries in Africa and Asia as: Chad, Niger, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Nigeria, Benin, Mali, Burkina Fuso, Senegal, Guinea Conakry, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cameron, Rwanda, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Gambia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Cambodia.

The Merck Foundation is making history in many African countries where they have never had fertility specialists or fertility clinics before the "Merck More than a Mother" intervention, to train the first fertility specialists such as; in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Gambia, Niger, Chad, Guinea, Ethiopia and Uganda.

About the Merck Oncology Fellowship Program:
The Merck Oncology Fellowship program, a key initiative of the Merck Cancer Access Program, focuses on building additional skills through education and medical training. Lack of financial means is not the only challenge in Africa and in developing countries, but a scarcity of qualified health personnel capable of tackling prevention, early detection and cancer management at all levels of Health systems is an even bigger challenge.

The Merck Oncology Fellowship program focuses on creating professional cancer care skills with the goal of increasing the limited number of oncologists in Africa and in developing countries. The program includes a year of scholarships at the Tata Memorial Center – India, a year and a half of Fellowship Oncology programs at Malaya University – Malaysia, two years of Oncology Fellowship Program at the University of Nairobi – Kenya and two years Masters in Medical, Surgical, Pediatric Oncology and Radiotherapy at the University of Cairo – Egypt, in collaboration with the ministries of health, local governments and African universities.

Launched in 2016, over 43 candidates from over 21 African countries have entered the Merck Oncology Fellowship program. The program will continue to develop cancer treatment skills in African countries such as Botswana, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

About the Merck Foundation:
The Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), founded in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aimed at improving people's health and wellbeing and advancing their lives through science and technology . Our efforts are mainly focused on improving access to innovative health solutions in underserved communities, on building scientific and health research capacity and on the emancipation of people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) with particular attention to women and young people. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed via e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation website. Go to www.Merck-Foundation.com to read more and / or register online to interact and exchange experiences with our registered members.

About Merck:
Merck is a leading company in the field of science and technology in healthcare, life science and performing materials. Almost 53,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and improve life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2017, Merck generated sales of 15.3 billion euros in 66 countries.

Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the listed company group. Merck holds global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma.