Merck Foundation Strengthens Partnership with Maldives First Lady to Transform Healthcare and Tackle Social Issues

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening healthcare systems and addressing pressing social challenges in the Maldives during a high-level meeting with H.E. Mrs. Sajidha Mohamed, the First Lady of the Republic of Maldives. 

The meeting took place at the Official Residence of the President and was led by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation BOT, and Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation.

During the meeting, Senator Dr. Kelej officially appointed the First Lady as the Ambassador of the “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” initiative. The two parties reviewed ongoing joint efforts and pledged to expand their programs aimed at transforming patient care by providing scholarships to local doctors, especially in fertility and embryology—two critical medical fields in the Maldives.

“It was an honor to meet my dear sister H.E. Mrs. Sajidha Mohamed. We discussed our ongoing collaboration to improve healthcare delivery and address critical issues like infertility stigma, gender-based violence, women empowerment, and awareness on diabetes and hypertension,” said Dr. Kelej.

The First Lady welcomed the delegation and highlighted progress made so far, including the commencement of scholarship programs for Maldivian doctors. “We have already started training our doctors in Fertility and Embryology. We plan to expand this to other specialties, reinforcing our strong partnership with Merck Foundation to build healthcare capacity,” she stated.

Prof. Dr. Haverkamp emphasized the Foundation’s global vision: “Our goal is to build healthcare capacity across Africa, Asia, and beyond. So far, we’ve granted over 2,270 scholarships to young doctors in 44 underserved specialties across 52 countries.”

The Merck Foundation team also met with Hon. Mr. Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, Minister of Health, to align future scholarship programs with the national healthcare strategy.

In addition to medical capacity-building, Merck Foundation and the First Lady are rolling out Community Awareness Programs to challenge social norms and promote health education. Upcoming initiatives include Health Media Training sessions for Maldivian journalists, led by medical and media experts, aimed at encouraging impactful storytelling on social and health issues.

The Foundation also launched eight prestigious awards in partnership with the First Lady, inviting participation from Maldivian media, musicians, filmmakers, fashion designers, and students. These awards aim to foster creative expression and advocacy around key issues such as infertility stigma, women empowerment, diabetes, and hypertension.

Details of the Awards: 

1. Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards “More Than a Mother” 2025, in partnership with The First Lady of Maldives: Media representatives and media students are invited to showcase their work to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues: Breaking Infertility Stigma and Women Empowerment. Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.
2. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards “More Than a Mother” 2025, in partnership with The First Lady of Maldives: All Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues: Breaking Infertility Stigma and Women Empowerment. Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.
3. Merck Foundation Film Awards “More Than a Mother” 2025, in partnership with The First Lady of Maldives: All Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to address one or more of the following social issues: Breaking Infertility Stigma and Women Empowerment. Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.
4. Merck Foundation Song Awards “More Than a Mother” 2025, in partnership with The First Lady of Maldives: All Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to address one or more of the following social issues: Breaking Infertility Stigma and Women Empowerment. Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.
5. Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards “Diabetes & Hypertension” 2025, in partnership with The First Lady of Maldives: Media representatives are invited to showcase their work through strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.
6. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards “Diabetes & Hypertension” 2025, in partnership with The First Lady of Maldives: All Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.
7. Merck Foundation Film Awards “Diabetes & Hypertension” 2025, in partnership with The First Lady of Maldives: All Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.
8. Merck Foundation Song Awards “Diabetes & Hypertension” 2025, in partnership with The First Lady of Maldives: All Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.