Zimbabwe Sees Major Health and Education Gains Through Merck Foundation Partnership
Merck Foundation Chief Executive Officer Dr Rasha Kelej has held discussions with Zimbabwe’s First Lady, H.E. Amai Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, on the impact of their joint programmes aimed at strengthening healthcare systems, supporting infertile women, and advancing girls’ education.
The meeting took place during the 7th Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit 2025, which brought together First Ladies from Africa and beyond to review progress and share best practices in addressing critical health and social challenges.
Dr Kelej praised the long-standing partnership with Zimbabwe, noting that since 2019, the collaboration has resulted in 166 scholarships for Zimbabwean doctors across critical and underserved medical specialties. These include diabetes, fertility, oncology, psychiatry, neurology, and other fields vital to improving access to specialised healthcare.
“Our partnership is building a strong and self-reliant healthcare workforce capable of delivering equitable care to communities in need,” Dr Kelej said, adding that Merck Foundation has provided more than 2,500 scholarships across 52 countries in Africa and Asia since 2012.
First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa highlighted the broader social impact of the partnership, including the ‘Educating Linda’ initiative, which supports 40 underprivileged Zimbabwean schoolgirls to complete their education. She also underscored efforts to break the stigma around infertility and strengthen community awareness through media training and advocacy.
The partnership has further supported media capacity building, launched children’s storybooks addressing social and health issues, and introduced creative awards to encourage youth engagement on topics such as gender-based violence, child marriage, infertility stigma, and women’s empowerment.
Merck Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to expanding healthcare capacity, empowering women and girls, and promoting sustainable social change across Africa and beyond.
