By Samira Larbie
Accra, June 21, GNA – The Merck Foundation has provided more than 2,600 scholarships to healthcare professionals from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties, significantly contributing to efforts to improve access to specialist healthcare services across Africa and Asia.
This was revealed at the 13th Edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2026, a two-day conference held virtually on June 18 and 19, bringing together First Ladies, healthcare experts, policymakers, academics, media practitioners and development partners to discuss strategies for strengthening healthcare systems and addressing social and health challenges.
Senator Dr Rasha Kelej (Ret.), Chief Executive Officer of the Merck Foundation and Chairperson of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary, said many beneficiaries of the scholarships had become the first specialists in their respective countries.
“I am proud to share that Merck Foundation has provided more than 2,600 scholarships for healthcare providers from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved specialties. Many of our alumni have become the first specialists in their countries.
“Together, we are transforming patient care across Africa, Asia and beyond,” she said.
The conference was inaugurated by Prof. Dr Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of the Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, alongside First Ladies from 12 African and Asian countries who participated as Guests of Honour and keynote speakers.
The First Ladies represented Angola, Botswana, Cabo Verde, the Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
Dr Kelej said healthcare workforce development remained one of the Foundation’s key priorities, noting that more than 800 scholarships had been awarded in fertility and women’s health-related disciplines, including embryology, sexual and reproductive medicine, clinical psychiatry, family medicine, urology and laparoscopic surgical skills.
She said the scholarships were helping to strengthen fertility and reproductive healthcare services while improving access to women’s health interventions in 42 countries.
The conference also highlighted the Foundation’s efforts to address infertility stigma through its “More Than a Mother” campaign, which seeks to empower infertile and childless women through access to information, healthcare, education and advocacy.
Prof. Stangenberg-Haverkamp reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to building healthcare capacity and expanding access to quality and equitable healthcare.
He commended governments, healthcare institutions and development partners for supporting initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes in underserved communities.
The 13th Africa Asia Luminary also marked the ninth anniversary of the Merck Foundation and 14 years of its development programmes, which were launched in 2012.
More than 800 participants from 57 countries attended the opening day of the conference, while over 220,000 people followed proceedings through social media livestreams.
Beyond healthcare training, the Foundation reported that it had trained more than 4,000 media professionals from over 42 countries to support public awareness campaigns on critical health and social issues.
It has also launched annual awards, produced educational storybooks, awareness films and songs, and provided more than 1,550 annual scholarships to schoolgirls in 21 African countries to support their education.
Participants at the conference underscored the importance of investing in specialist medical training and public health awareness as key pillars for building stronger and more resilient healthcare systems across Africa and Asia.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe