Bukola Afeni
Merck Foundation has intensified efforts to tackle Africa’s shortage of medical specialists.
The body disclosed that more than 2,600 healthcare professionals from 52 countries have now received advanced training under its scholarship programme, with Nigeria accounting for 91 beneficiaries.
The milestone was announced during the opening of the 13th Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary, where First Ladies, health experts and policymakers met virtually to discuss improving healthcare systems and addressing social challenges across Africa and Asia.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, said the initiative has produced many of the first specialists in underserved medical fields across participating countries, helping to improve access to quality healthcare.
Kelej described the annual Luminary conference as a platform for collaboration among First Ladies and stakeholders committed to improving healthcare systems across Africa and Asia.
“It is a great privilege to welcome our distinguished Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers, the First Ladies of Africa and Asia, who are the Ambassadors of our ‘More Than a Mother’ campaign.
“Together, we exchanged valuable experiences and engaged in meaningful discussions on the impact of our programmes, which are aimed at transforming patient care and raising awareness of a wide range of critical social and health issues,” she said.
Kelej noted that the Foundation has awarded more than 2,600 scholarships across 44 critical and underserved specialties, adding that many beneficiaries have become the first specialists in their respective countries.
She also said more than 800 scholarships have been dedicated to fertility, embryology, sexual and reproductive medicine, clinical psychiatry, women’s health, urology, laparoscopic surgical skills and family medicine, helping to strengthen fertility care services across 42 countries.
Speaking during the conference, Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, said the 91 Nigerian healthcare professionals have received specialist training in areas including cardiology, endocrinology, oncology, fertility, neurology and infectious diseases, strengthening the country’s specialist healthcare workforce.
Oluremi also highlighted the Foundation’s education initiatives in Nigeria, including scholarships for 71 underprivileged girls and the distribution of thousands of learning materials and children’s books promoting girls’ education and health awareness.
She said the scholarships cover 44 critical and underserved medical specialties and are aimed at bridging gaps in healthcare delivery across the country.
“The Merck Foundation has provided 91 scholarships for our Nigerian healthcare providers in 44 critical and underserved specialties. The initiative is helping to bridge gaps in healthcare delivery and improve patient care outcomes nationwide,” the First Lady said.
Providing further details, Oluremi said 42 Nigerian healthcare professionals received training in diabetes, endocrinology, cardiology, preventive cardiovascular medicine and obesity management, while 20 others benefited from programmes in fertility, embryology, sexual and reproductive health.
She added that another 16 healthcare workers were trained in geriatric care, critical care, dermatology, respiratory medicine and rheumatology, while 11 others received scholarships in acute medicine, family medicine, infectious diseases, medical oncology, neurology and pain management.
On education, the First Lady said the Foundation’s Educating Linda Programme has continued to expand opportunities for young girls by supporting academically gifted but financially disadvantaged students.
“The objective of this programme is to enable them to create pathways to pursue their dreams and future careers,” she said.
Tinubu further disclosed that the Foundation donated 2,800 sets of educational materials, including school bags, pencils, rulers and pens, which were distributed through the offices of state First Ladies.
She added that Merck Foundation also supplied 4,000 copies of seven children’s storybooks designed to promote girls’ education, discourage child marriage, combat infertility stigma and raise awareness on diabetes and hypertension.
According to her, Nigeria later reproduced 140,000 copies of the books for distribution to public school libraries nationwide through the Federal Ministry of Education.
The conference also marked World Infertility Awareness Month through the Foundation’s More Than a Mother campaign, which seeks to empower infertile and childless women by improving access to healthcare, education and advocacy while addressing the stigma associated with infertility.
