Dubai: Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, recently organized the 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit in Dubai, UAE. The summit, which took place on the 19th and 20th of June 2025, was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, alongside Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, and 14 First Ladies from African and Asian countries who served as Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers.
According to African Press Organization, the summit provided a platform for exchanging experiences and discussing the impact of Merck Foundation’s programs aimed at transforming patient care and raising awareness on social and health issues. Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej emphasized the importance of the initiative, welcoming the First Ladies as Ambassadors of the “More Than a Mother” campaign, which focuses on empowering infertile and childless women.
Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp highlighted the foundation’s mission to improve health and well-being by building healthcare capacity and providing access to equitable healthcare solutions across Africa and Asia. He expressed gratitude to the Ambassadors and partners for their support in working towards a vision of a healthier world.
The First Ladies participating in the summit included representatives from Angola, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, and Zimbabwe. These First Ladies, serving as Ambassadors of the Merck Foundation More Than a Mother initiative, contributed to discussions on transforming patient care across their regions.
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej announced that Merck Foundation has provided over 2,500 scholarships to young doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical specialties. This initiative aims to address the shortage of medical specialists in Africa and beyond, with more than 700 scholarships focusing on fertility care and women’s health.
The summit also marked the 8th Anniversary of Merck Foundation and celebrated 13 years of its development programs. The first day featured a high-level panel discussion with the First Ladies, while the second day included sessions on Oncology, Fertility, and community awareness through the Merck Foundation Health Media Training. The hybrid format of the summit allowed over 6,000 participants from more than 70 countries to engage and discuss strategies for addressing health and social challenges.
Merck Foundation is actively breaking the silence on various social and health issues in Africa through initiatives like media training for over 3,700 individuals from 35 countries, annual awards for media coverage, and the production of songs and storybooks addressing health issues. Furthermore, the foundation has provided scholarships to empower underprivileged African schoolgirls and runs a Pan African TV Program “Our Africa by Merck Foundation” to address social and health issues.
The summit was streamed live on the social media handles of Merck Foundation and Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, reaching a global audience. The event showcased the foundation’s commitment to creating a culture shift and improving healthcare access across Africa and underserved communities.