Merck Foundation, African First Ladies Fund 258 Cancer Care Scholarships
The Merck Foundation, in partnership with African First Ladies and Ministries of Health, has marked World Cancer Day 2026 by continuing its efforts to strengthen oncology care across Africa.
The initiative includes the provision of 258 scholarships for healthcare providers from 34 African and Asian countries, aimed at addressing the continent’s critical shortage of trained cancer specialists.
The scholarships offer one-year clinical training in various oncology sub-specialties, as well as one- and two-year postgraduate diplomas and master’s degrees in Cancer and Clinical Oncology, Medical Oncology, and Pain Management from reputed UK universities, including the University of South Wales, University of Buckingham, Queen Mary University of London, and Cardiff University.
Senator Dr Rasha Kelej, Merck Foundation CEO, emphasised the importance of this initiative: “At Merck Foundation, we mark World Cancer Day through our sustained, everyday efforts to transform cancer care in Africa by addressing one of its most critical gaps: late diagnosis and the shortage of trained specialists. Together with my dear sisters, African First Ladies, we have strengthened cancer care capacity by providing 258 oncology scholarships, significantly increasing the number of trained oncologists and developing multidisciplinary cancer care teams.”
The Foundation has made history by training the first oncologists and multidisciplinary cancer care teams in countries including The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Liberia, Guinea Conakry, Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, where in some instances there were previously no oncologists.
To raise awareness about childhood cancer, Merck Foundation also recently released Ray of Hope, a children’s storybook and animated film in three languages, highlighting the importance of early detection and access to trained cancer care teams. The storybook can be read here and the animation film watched here.
According to WHO data (2022), Africa records roughly 1.1 million new cancer cases and up to 700,000 cancer deaths each year. Mortality rates are higher than in many other regions, reflecting late diagnosis, limited access to care, and systemic gaps.
Dr Judith Mkwaila, a Merck Foundation alumna from Malawi, shared her experience: “The Merck Foundation Scholarship allowed me to pursue a Surgical Oncology fellowship in India, where I gained both theoretical and practical training in complex oncological procedures. Thanks to this training, I was able to establish a General Surgical Clinic and become the first and only female Chief Surgeon at Mzuzu Central Hospital.”
To date, Merck Foundation has provided more than 2,500 scholarships to healthcare providers across 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialities, reinforcing its commitment to transforming patient care and leading Africa toward a healthier future.
