Merck Foundation Expands Medical Training and Education at Angola Summit
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, has convened the 7th Edition of its First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit in Luanda, Angola, bringing together First Ladies from Africa and Asia alongside healthcare and development partners to accelerate progress in healthcare capacity building, women’s empowerment, and social change.
The summit was inaugurated by Prof Dr Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of the Merck Foundation Board of Trustees; Senator Dr Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of MFFLI; and H.E. Dr Ana Dias Lourenço, First Lady of Angola and Ambassador of the Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” campaign. Also in attendance were the First Ladies of Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, and Zimbabwe.
Dr Kelej expressed her delight at welcoming the Angolan First Lady, announcing joint programmes to transform public healthcare in Angola and tackle social health issues. “Merck Foundation has always believed in the importance of building healthcare capacity. Since 2012, we have provided more than 2,280 scholarships to doctors from 52 countries in over 44 underserved medical specialties. We will soon be enrolling doctors from Angola in partnership with the First Lady and Ministry of Health,” she stated.
First Lady Dr Ana Dias Lourenço reaffirmed her commitment to girls’ education through the Educating Linda programme, designed to end child marriage and empower women through learning. “As an African woman, I strongly believe that girl education is one of the most critical areas of women’s empowerment,” she said. She also highlighted plans to provide medical scholarships to strengthen Angola’s healthcare system.
On the second day, the MFFLI committee meeting brought together the First Ladies of Africa with Merck Foundation leadership to share country-level impact reports and shape future strategies. A dedicated strategy meeting between Dr Kelej and the Angolan First Lady also set out plans to build healthcare and media capacity in Angola to address pressing health and social issues.
Merck Foundation and the Office of the First Lady of Angola have already hosted three editions of online health media training, equipping journalists to advocate for girl education, end gender-based violence (GBV) and female genital mutilation (FGM), and raise awareness on conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
In addition, Merck Foundation announced calls for entries to eight awards spanning journalism, music, fashion, film, and student creativity, run in partnership with the Angolan First Lady.
The Foundation continues to expand its reach through innovative initiatives including:
- 2,280+ medical scholarships across 44 critical specialties
- 3,700+ media professionals trained from 35+ countries
- 950+ scholarships for underprivileged schoolgirls
- 30 awareness songs, eight children’s storybooks, and seven animated films in multiple languages
- The “Our Africa by Merck Foundation” Pan-African TV programme promoting “Fashion and Art with Purpose”
- A digital community of 15 social media channels with more than 8 million followers.
The summit was livestreamed across Merck Foundation and Dr Rasha Kelej’s social media platforms, amplifying its reach across Africa and beyond.
Dr Kelej concluded: “Together with our First Ladies and partners, we are transforming the patient care landscape and making history by breaking silence around social and health issues, empowering women and girls, and building stronger healthcare systems for generations to come.”
