Merck Foundation CEO meets the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and 13 First Ladies of Africa and Asia at the 7th edition of MFFLI Summit
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Merck Foundation recently wrapped up the exciting 7th Edition of its First Ladies Initiative Summit 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria, and Mumbai, India. The event kicked off with a grand inauguration led by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of the Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, alongside Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of the First Ladies Initiative. Joining them were H.E. Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria and new Ambassador for the Merck Foundation More Than a Mother Campaign, plus First Ladies from Angola, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, and Zimbabwe.
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej shared her enthusiasm, saying, "I’m thrilled to welcome my dear sister, H.E. Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as our new Ambassador for More Than a Mother. We’ve been teaming up to boost patient care in Nigeria and train local doctors through scholarships." So far, Merck Foundation has awarded 63 scholarships to Nigerian doctors in key areas like fertility care, embryology, sexual and reproductive health, women’s health, oncology, diabetes, endocrinology, cardiology, obesity management, acute medicine, respiratory care, dermatology, rheumatology, critical care, psychiatry, elderly care, and pain management. "Together, we’re shaping a brighter future for healthcare in Nigeria," she added.
The First Lady of Nigeria, H.E. Senator Oluremi Tinubu, expressed her gratitude: "I’m honored to serve as Ambassador for More Than a Mother and value our strong partnership with Merck Foundation. Their programs make a real difference, especially the Educating Linda initiative, which sponsors education for 20 talented but underprivileged girls until they graduate. Empowering girls through education is key to building healthier nations—it’s at the heart of my office’s goals." She also highlighted the 63 doctor scholarships and pledged to support even more enrollments in underserved specialties.
You can catch the First Lady’s inspiring speech from the summit here: https://youtu.be/avAEDjp6JTs. And check out this warm welcome video of Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej greeting H.E. Senator Oluremi Tinubu: https://youtu.be/75N9iIDyYkk.
On the second day, the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative committee met with African and Asian First Ladies, Merck Foundation’s Chairman, and CEO. They shared success stories from Merck Foundation programs in their countries and mapped out future plans. Watch the highlights: https://youtu.be/G2YlJgkagNQ.
Breaking down those 63 scholarships for Nigerian doctors:
- 8 in fertility, embryology, and advanced degrees in sexual/reproductive care and women’s health. These will supercharge women’s healthcare, especially fertility support, helping couples start families and fight infertility stigma.
- 39 for oncology research and diplomas/master’s in diabetes, endocrinology, preventive cardiology, and obesity/weight management. Part of the Merck Foundation Nationwide Diabetes Blue Points Program, these train doctors to set up clinics tackling diabetes and hypertension in communities.
- 16 in acute medicine, respiratory care, dermatology, rheumatology, critical care, psychiatry, elderly care, and pain management.
Overall, Merck Foundation has granted 2280 scholarships to doctors from 52 countries across 44 vital specialties. "Our goal? Every person deserves a healthy, happy life," said Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej.
The foundation also launched calls for applications to eight prestigious awards, partnering with the First Lady of Nigeria. These honor top media stories, musicians, fashion designers, filmmakers, students, and emerging talents raising awareness on health and social issues.
In another big move, they’re releasing seven new children’s storybooks with the First Lady’s support. These fun reads tackle topics like infertility stigma, girl child education, ending gender-based violence (GBV), and diabetes/hypertension awareness—in English, French, and Portuguese.
The entire summit streamed live on Merck Foundation’s social media (@MerckFoundation on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube) and Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej’s channels (@Rasha Kelej on the same platforms). Catch the inaugural session replay here: https://youtube.com/live/1xIeh0TCAuw.
Merck Foundation keeps pushing boundaries in patient care across Africa, Asia, and beyond. They’ve provided over 2280 doctor scholarships in underserved fields and are shifting mindsets on social issues through:
- Training 3700+ media pros from 35+ countries to spotlight health topics.
- Eight annual awards for standout media, fashion, films, and songs.
- About 30 songs by African artists addressing health and social challenges.
- Eight multilingual children’s storybooks.
- Seven animation films in five languages (English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili) on diabetes/hypertension prevention, early detection, and girl education.
- The Pan African TV show "Our Africa by Merck Foundation," using fashion and art to discuss issues.
- 950+ scholarships for underprivileged African schoolgirls to finish their education.
- 15 social media channels with 8 million+ followers.
Download the Merck Foundation app for more: https://www.merck-foundation.com/MF_StoreRedirection. Join the chat on their platforms—Facebook: Merck Foundation; X: @MerckFoundation; YouTube: MerckFoundation; Instagram: Merck Foundation; Threads: Merck Foundation; Flickr: Merck Foundation; Website: www.merckfoundation.com.
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