Merck Foundation and Kenya First Lady Deepen Healthcare and Social Impact at 7th MFFLI Summit in Nairobi
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening healthcare systems in Kenya and across Africa following the successful convening of the 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit 2025 in Nairobi.
The high-level summit was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of the Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, together with Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.), Chief Executive Officer of Merck Foundation and President of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative, and H.E. Mrs Rachel Ruto E.G.H., First Lady of the Republic of Kenya and Ambassador of Merck Foundation’s “More Than a Mother” campaign.
The event brought together First Ladies from Angola, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
Addressing the summit, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.) said she was pleased to receive the Kenya First Lady and highlighted the strong partnership between Merck Foundation and Kenya. She disclosed that, together with the First Lady, the Foundation has provided 244 scholarships to Kenyan doctors in many critical and underserved medical specialties.
These include Fertility and Embryology, Oncology, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardiology, Sexual and Reproductive Care, Gastroenterology, Respiratory Medicine, Acute Medicine, Psychiatry, Internal Medicine, Dermatology, Neonatal Medicine, Urology, Pain Management, Critical Care and Rheumatology. She noted that nearly 50 per cent of the scholarships have been awarded to female healthcare providers, describing this as a major milestone in advancing women’s empowerment in the health sector.
H.E. Mrs Rachel Ruto E.G.H. commended the partnership, stating that the scholarships are transforming Kenya’s public healthcare landscape and will leave a lasting impact on the quality and accessibility of healthcare services across the country. She further revealed that Merck Foundation and her office are also supporting girl education through the Educating Linda programme, which provides annual scholarships to 47 high-performing but underprivileged girls.
On the second day of the summit, a Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative committee meeting was held, bringing together African and Asian First Ladies with Merck Foundation leadership to share country impact reports and agree on future strategies for expanding healthcare capacity and social development programmes.
Merck Foundation detailed the breakdown of the 244 scholarships awarded to Kenyan doctors. These include 123 scholarships for one-year postgraduate diplomas and two-year master’s degrees in Diabetes, Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardiology and Endocrinology; 10 scholarships in Oncology to strengthen cancer care capacity; 46 scholarships in Fertility, Embryology and Sexual and Reproductive Medicine under the “More Than a Mother” campaign; and 64 scholarships in other critical specialties such as Gastroenterology, Psychiatry, Neonatal Medicine, Critical Care and Rheumatology, delivered through its Capacity Advancement Programme.
Many alumni have since established specialised clinics, contributing to improved access to care and increased public awareness of disease prevention and early detection.
Beyond healthcare training, Merck Foundation announced continued investment in media capacity building, having already conducted three editions of its Online Health Media Training. The Foundation also launched a call for applications for eight annual awards in partnership with the Kenya First Lady, targeting media professionals, musicians, filmmakers, fashion designers, students and emerging talents.
In addition, Merck Foundation and the Kenya First Lady have jointly launched seven children’s storybooks addressing key social and health issues, including infertility stigma, girl education, gender-based violence, diabetes and hypertension. The books are expected to be launched in Kiswahili to broaden their reach.
Since its establishment, Merck Foundation has provided more than 2,500 scholarships to healthcare providers from 52 countries in over 44 critical and underserved medical specialties. The Foundation has also trained more than 3,700 media professionals, supported creative advocacy through music, film and fashion, and awarded over 1,200 annual scholarships to underprivileged African schoolgirls from 18 countries.
Merck Foundation reiterated that it will continue to build and enhance healthcare capacity in Kenya, across Africa and beyond, through sustained partnerships and people-centred development programmes.
