14 First Ladies Unite for Women’s Health at Merck Foundation Summit in Dubai
The Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, successfully hosted the 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit 2025 in Dubai, bringing together First Ladies from 14 African and Asian countries.
The high-level forum provided a platform for evaluating the impact of health and social development programs supported by the Foundation.
Held on June 19–20, the summit was officially opened by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chair of the Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of the MFFLI. The two-day event also marked the Foundation’s 8th anniversary and the 13th year of its development programs.
The participating First Ladies, also serving as Ambassadors of the “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” campaign, shared progress made in their countries and discussed strategies to enhance access to healthcare and eliminate stigma around infertility and women’s health.
Among the distinguished guests were First Ladies from Angola, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Maldives, and Senegal, among others.
“Our commitment remains strong in transforming patient care, empowering women and youth, and breaking the silence on critical health and social issues,” said Dr. Rasha Kelej. “We are proud to have provided more than 2,280 scholarships to doctors from 52 countries, enabling many to become the first specialists in their fields.”
More than 700 of these scholarships have focused on fertility, reproductive medicine, psychiatry, urology, and surgical skills—emphasizing Merck Foundation’s role in improving women’s health and reproductive care. The summit also featured media training sessions and scientific panels on oncology and fertility.
The event coincided with World Infertility Awareness Month and showcased the Foundation’s multimedia tools—songs, TV shows, animations, and children’s books—used to promote awareness across Africa. With over 8 million social media followers and partnerships spanning 70 countries, the Foundation is steadily transforming healthcare landscapes.
