The 11th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary was recently inaugurated by The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Dr. SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, and Merck Foundation CEO, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej. The event saw the participation of First Ladies from various countries, who also served as Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers, including Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of The Congo, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Maldives, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Zimbabwe, and Zanzibar.
Over 10,000 healthcare providers, policymakers, and media from more than 70 countries attended the Luminary either in person or through a hybrid model. The conference aimed to advance healthcare capacity and awareness in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties. This event also marked the 7th Anniversary of Merck Foundation and celebrated its 12-year journey of development programs.
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, organized the 11th Edition of their annual conference, “Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary”, under the patronage of The President of Tanzania, and in partnership with the Government of Tanzania in Dar es Salaam. The conference was graced by distinguished guests, including the First Ladies of 15 countries, who are also Ambassadors of the “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” campaign.
During the conference, various key speakers highlighted the impact of Merck Foundation’s programs and discussed the 2025 strategy to build healthcare capacity and raise awareness on critical social issues such as Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Ending Child Marriage & FGM, Stopping GBV, Women Empowerment, and health issues like Diabetes and Hypertension Awareness.
Merck Foundation has provided more than 2080 scholarships to young doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved specialties. The partnership with the First Ladies has played a crucial role in transforming the patient care landscape and leading Africa and Asia towards a better, healthier future.
The Inauguration Session of the Luminary featured keynote speeches from the First Ladies, where they shared the impact of their partnership with Merck Foundation in their respective countries. They highlighted the achievements in healthcare capacity building, breaking infertility stigma, empowering women, supporting girl education, and addressing critical social and health issues.
The event was live-streamed on various social media platforms, allowing a wider audience to participate in the discussions and learn about the initiatives undertaken by Merck Foundation. The foundation continues to work towards improving access to quality healthcare solutions, empowering girls in education, and raising awareness about social and health issues in Africa and underserved communities.
Through various programs, Merck Foundation is creating a culture shift and breaking the silence around important issues, including providing scholarships, training media persons, launching awards, producing awareness content, and supporting girl education initiatives. The foundation remains committed to its mission of improving social and health outcomes for communities in need while maintaining a strict non-political stance in all its endeavors.
