Maldives: Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, recently hosted the 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit. The event was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation. The summit saw participation from H.E. Madam Sajidha Mohamed, First Lady of the Republic of Maldives, and First Ladies from 13 African countries including Angola, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, and others.
According to African Press Organization, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej expressed delight in meeting H.E. Madam Sajidha Mohamed during the summit. They discussed collaborative programs aimed at building healthcare capacity and transforming patient care by providing scholarships for local doctors. The initiative has already commenced enrolling doctors for Fertility and Embryology training.
On the second day of the summit, a committee meeting was held with First Ladies from Africa and the Merck Foundation leadership. The meeting focused on sharing impact reports of Merck Foundation's programs and discussing future strategies. The organization has provided 2,280 scholarships for doctors from 52 countries in 44 underserved medical specialties.
Merck Foundation is also addressing social issues through community awareness programs in collaboration with the First Lady of Maldives. These programs target infertility stigma, gender-based violence, women's empowerment, and health issues like diabetes and hypertension awareness. Additionally, they plan to conduct Health Media Training for Maldivian media representatives to emphasize the media's role in addressing these critical issues.
The foundation also announced a call for applications for eight awards in partnership with the First Lady of Maldives. These awards target media, musicians, fashion designers, filmmakers, students, and emerging talents.
In a joint effort with the First Lady of Maldives, Merck Foundation is launching seven children's storybooks addressing social and health issues such as infertility stigma, girl education, and health awareness.
The summit was streamed live on Merck Foundation's social media platforms, showcasing their commitment to transforming the patient care landscape. This initiative is part of Merck Foundation’s broader efforts, which include over 2,280 scholarships provided to doctors worldwide and numerous programs aimed at creating cultural shifts and raising awareness on social and health issues through various mediums.
