Merck Foundation Deepens Commitment to Healthcare and Social Change in Maldives

The Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to strengthening healthcare systems and addressing critical social issues in the Maldives. 

This follows high-level meetings between the Foundation’s leadership and key government officials, including H.E. Mrs. Sajidha Mohamed, First Lady of the Republic of Maldives, and Hon. Mr. Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, Minister of Health.

Led by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, the delegation visited the Maldives to expand scholarship programs for local doctors and launch new initiatives under the Foundation’s “More Than a Mother” campaign. 

During the meeting held at the Official Residence of the President, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej officially appointed First Lady Sajidha Mohamed as the Ambassador of Merck Foundation’s “More Than a Mother” initiative in the Maldives.

“It was an honor to meet my dear sister, the First Lady of the Republic of Maldives,” said Senator Dr. Kelej. “We discussed joint programs focused on building healthcare capacity, breaking infertility stigma, stopping gender-based violence, empowering women, and raising awareness about diabetes and hypertension.”

The First Lady welcomed the collaboration, noting that scholarships have already been awarded to Maldivian doctors in Fertility and Embryology—two vital specialties for the country. She reaffirmed her support for expanding the initiative, with more doctors set to benefit from training in additional critical fields. 

To date, Merck Foundation has awarded more than 2,270 scholarships to young doctors from 52 countries in 44 underserved medical specialties. In Maldives, these scholarships are tailored to meet national healthcare priorities, including fertility care, endocrinology, oncology, and preventive medicine.

In a separate meeting with Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, the Merck Foundation delegation explored ways to scale up the scholarships further, aligning them with the nation’s healthcare strategy to address shortages in critical specialties and improve patient outcomes. 

The Foundation also announced plans to conduct a Health Media Training Workshop for Maldivian journalists in collaboration with the First Lady. This initiative aims to empower the media to advocate for cultural change and amplify the voices of marginalized communities.

In addition, Merck Foundation and the Office of the First Lady have launched eight prestigious awards targeting Maldivian media professionals, fashion designers, filmmakers, musicians, and students. The awards aim to promote awareness on infertility stigma, women empowerment, and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.

Senator Dr. Kelej urged local creatives to participate: “I invite young talents from the Maldives to share their creativity and inspire change. These awards are a platform to raise your voice for health and social transformation.”

Merck Foundation 2025 Awards – Maldives

Submission Deadlines:

• “More Than a Mother” Awards: 30 September 2025
• “Diabetes & Hypertension” Awards: 30 October 2025

Award Categories:

• Media Recognition Awards
• Fashion Awards
• Film Awards
• Song Awards

All entries can be submitted via 📩 submit@merck-foundation.com
For detailed information, visit 🌐 www.Merck-Foundation.com