By Veronica Mrema
The health and education sectors continue to benefit from strategic initiatives by the Merck Foundation, which is strongly committed to reaching communities directly, starting from the grassroots level across Africa and Asia.
Merck Foundation has been implementing these efforts in close collaboration with First Ladies under the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative [MFFLI].
The 7th MFFLI summit was held this year, 2025, in Dubai. The CEO of Merck Foundation, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, announced that so far, 2,270 doctors have been awarded scholarships.
She noted that these doctors are from 52 countries, trained in 44 critical medical specialties, many of which had no specialists in those fields before the program began.
She emphasized that the program has brought significant transformation in the health sector, especially by creating specialists in fields such as cancer, diabetes, mental health, and reproductive care.
“Child health, emergency medicine… Our data shows that each sponsored doctor serves more than 1,000 patients in their country many of them in remote and rural areas,” she said.
Dr. Rasha added that the Foundation also offers educational scholarships to over 1,000 girls across 17 countries.
“This support includes tuition, uniforms, school supplies, and regular academic follow-ups until they complete their studies.
"The goal is to end child marriage and promote girls’ education as an investment in the nation's future,” she said.
She reiterated that Merck Foundation will continue working with First Ladies to implement the initiative and values the vital role of media and the arts.
“Media and creatives are powerful allies in transforming social mindsets, particularly around health, child marriage, and stigma related to chronic conditions like infertility,” she noted.
MFFLI is a platform that engages First Ladies from countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Malawi, Angola, Zimbabwe, Maldives, and Senegal.
This initiative has brought real change by enabling the emergence of specialists in diseases like cancer, diabetes, mental health, and emergency care.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, pledged to continue expanding the program in her country through her office and relevant ministries.
She emphasized the importance of girls’ education as a foundation for healthy and progressive societies.
Tanzania has also benefited from Merck Foundation scholarships for doctors trained in key medical specialties.
Additionally, Tanzania has been involved in awareness campaigns about reproductive health, infertility stigma, and non-communicable diseases.
Kenya’s First Lady, Rachel Ruto, shared that her country has trained 244 doctors under the program 50% of them being women.
She also mentioned that 47 girls are currently being sponsored through the “Educating Linda” program.
Other First Ladies, including those from Ghana, Malawi, and the Maldives, reaffirmed their strong partnerships with Merck Foundation to promote health and education for women and communities at large.
Chairperson of Merck Foundation, Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, reaffirmed the organization’s strong commitment to health and social development.
He commended the success of the medical scholarship programs and praised the First Ladies for their leadership as ambassadors of the initiative.
“…in promoting positive change and breaking stigma around conditions such as infertility,” he stressed.
The MFFLI Summit coincided with Merck Foundation’s 8th anniversary and 13 years of development programming.
The summit was followed live by over 8 million people online. Merck Foundation continues to invest in training, education.
As well as, public awareness campaigns to ensure equitable access to quality health services and education opportunities for all.
Chapisha Maoni