DUBAI: Merck Foundation, the philanthropic wing of Merck KGaA Germany, successfully launched the 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit 2025 on June 19th and 20th in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of the Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative. They were joined by First Ladies from 14 African and Asian countries, who participated as Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers.
According to African Press Organization, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej expressed her honor in welcoming these distinguished Guests of Honor, who also serve as Ambassadors of the More Than a Mother campaign. The summit provided a platform for exchanging experiences and discussing initiatives aimed at transforming patient care and raising awareness on critical social and health issues.
Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp emphasized Merck Foundation's commitment to enhancing healthcare capacity and providing access to quality healthcare solutions across Africa, Asia, and beyond. He acknowledged the support of ambassadors and partners in working towards a vision of health and well-being for all.
The First Ladies, who are Ambassadors of the Merck Foundation More Than a Mother initiative, participated as Keynote Speakers. They included representatives from Angola, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, and Zimbabwe.
During the summit, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej highlighted Merck Foundation's achievement of providing over 2500 scholarships to young doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical specialties. Notably, more than 700 scholarships focused on training in fertility and women's health to enhance access to these services.
The summit also marked the observance of World Infertility Awareness Month through the Merck Foundation More Than a Mother campaign, which empowers infertile and childless women. The event celebrated Merck Foundation's 8th anniversary and 13 years of development programs initiated in 2012.
The conference featured high-level panel discussions with participating First Ladies, African Ministers, and global healthcare experts. Day two included parallel sessions on oncology, fertility topics, and a community awareness session on the role of media in addressing social and health issues.
The summit was conducted in a hybrid format, engaging over 6,000 participants from more than 70 countries. The 7th Edition of MFFLI Summit was streamed live on Merck Foundation's social media platforms.
Merck Foundation's initiatives include training over 3700 media personnel, launching various media and arts awards, and creating educational content to address social and health issues. The foundation also provides scholarships to underprivileged African schoolgirls, empowering them to complete their education.