BusinessWire India reported that Merck Foundation – the charitable arm of Germany’s Merck KGaA – will host its 12th Africa‑Asia Luminary conference in Banjul, The Gambia. The event, running in a hybrid format, will bring together health professionals, policymakers, scholars and media from more than 70 countries.
Dr. Rasha Kelej, the foundation’s CEO, announced that the conference will open with a joint ceremony by President Adama Barrow and First Lady Fatoumata Bâ‑Barrow. The First Lady will co‑chair the event and will highlight how Merck Foundation’s programs are transforming care in The Gambia. She said the initiative has awarded 94 scholarships to local doctors in over 30 underserved specialties, many of whom are first specialists in their fields.
“The conference is a chance to share our successes and plan new projects that will improve health and media capacity,” Dr. Kelej added. “We also want to raise awareness of critical social and health issues across Africa and Asia.”
Key highlights of the conference
* More than 6,000 participants will join online or in person, including specialists in oncology, diabetes, cardiovascular care, and emergency medicine.
* A plenary session on day one will feature speeches from African First Ladies.
* Parallel sessions will cover medical topics such as diabetes, hypertension, respiratory care and pediatric emergency care.
* A community‑awareness segment will train journalists on stories that break infertility stigma, stop gender‑based violence, end child marriage and FGM, support girls’ education, and promote healthy lifestyles.
Countries attending in person include Ghana, India, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. Virtual participants come from 70‑plus nations, from Nepal to the United States.
Why Merck Foundation matters
Since 2012, Merck Foundation has offered more than 2,400 scholarships to doctors from 52 countries in 42 critical specialties—many of whom are now the first specialists in their countries. The foundation also trains over 3,700 media professionals from more than 35 countries, launching awards for the best health coverage and creating songs, storybooks and animation films that promote diabetes and hypertension awareness and girls’ education.
The 12th Africa‑Asia Luminary will stream live on Merck Foundation’s social media channels, with Dr. Rasha Kelej and other leaders sharing the event on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, Threads, and Flickr. Readers can download the Merck Foundation app and follow the organization’s 15 social‑media platforms, which together reach more than 8.5 million followers.
For more information, visit www.merckfoundation.com or download the app at https://www.merck-foundation.com/MF_StoreRedirection.
Source: aninews
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