By Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Accra, Nov 2, GNA – First Lady Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo has bid her counterparts in the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) goodbye, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as her husband’s term of office ends on January 7, 2025.
Her husband’s exit as President of Ghana, after the December 2024 elections, also gives way for Mrs Akufo-Addo to exit as the first lady of Ghana at the same time.
With her many accomplishments, in helping promote the developmental needs of women and children, and society in general, coupled with the fact that she is a “Merck More Than a Mother Ambassador”, Mrs Akufo-Addo said she would leave the office of the first lady, as “a fulfilled woman.”
Speaking during the just-ended 11th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary held in Dar es Salaam, Mrs Akufo-Addo said; “I have been blessed with the privilege to be the first lady of my dear country, Ghana… To me, the position was an opportunity to serve my people and make a difference. I was able to do that with the support of my husband, Ghanaians, and partners like the Merck Foundation. So, I leave a fulfilled woman.
“But let me assure all of you that the Rebecca Foundation will continue to work in the interest of females and children in Ghana,” she said.
Mrs Akufo-Addo said since 2018, her partnership with Merck Foundation has helped reach many underserved communities, with quality health care, breaking infertility stigma, investing in girls’ education, and other social issues in the country.
There have been other programmes for fashion designers and musicians who have had their skills and crafts enhanced, while many health professionals have been trained in the areas of Oncology, Cancer care, Urology, Diabetes, and Fertility Care among others.
She said Merck Foundation has also provided 189 scholarships for local Ghanaian doctors in diverse and critical disciplines all in the effort to promote quality health care delivery and in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The 11th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary was officially inaugurated by Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, and Professor Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, together with Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Executive Officer, Merck Foundation.
The meeting was attended by first ladies of Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Maldives, and Mozambique.
Other first ladies from the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Zimbabwe, and Zanzibar also attended as the special guests and keynote speakers for the annual conference.
Also, more than 6,000 healthcare providers, policymakers and media personalities from over 70 English, French, Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries attended the Luminary through hybrid model to benefit from five parallel scientific and social sessions to advance healthcare capacity and awareness in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties.
The occasion was also used to observe the 7th Anniversary of Merck Foundation activities, which marked the 12-year journey of their developmental programmes.
While inaugurating the conference, President Hassan said: “…I deeply appreciate the programmes of Merck Foundation that are building healthcare capacity, breaking infertility stigma, and supporting girl education.”
Senator Dr. Kelej, who is also the Chairperson of Merck Foundation, thanked the Government of Tanzania, for its unwavering support in making the conference a success.
She reminded the First Ladies who are also the Ambassadors of the “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother”, that “Together, we shared experiences and engaged in meaningful discussions on the impact of our programmes, aimed at transforming patient care and raising awareness on a wide range of critical social and health issues.”
Prof. Dr. Haverkamp, thanked all the partners including Policy Makers, Government Officials, Academia, and Media for joining hands with “us to realize the Merck Foundation’s vision that “Everyone can lead a Healthy and Happy life.”
GNA