Banjul: Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, recently convened with the First Lady of Central Africa and six other First Ladies at the 12th Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary in The Gambia. The conference was co-chaired by H.E. Mrs. Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow, The First Lady of Gambia, and Dr. Kelej. The event featured the First Ladies of Burundi, Liberia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Senegal as guests of honor and keynote speakers.

According to African Press Organization, Dr. Kelej expressed enthusiasm for the ongoing partnership with H.E. Madam Brigitte Touadera, First Lady of Central Africa, which began in 2015. This collaboration has resulted in scholarships for Central African doctors in Oncology and Diabetes. First Lady Touadera emphasized the significance of their partnership in breaking stigmas around infertility and enhancing healthcare capacity through educational scholarships.

The Merck Foundation's Education Linda program provides annual scholarships to 40 underprivileged schoolgirls to support their education. Day 1 of the conference included a plenary session with African First Ladies and a ministerial panel discussion on the Merck Foundation African Research Summit MARS strategy, aimed at empowering women in STEM.

On Day 2, the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) committee meeting involved discussions on the impact of Merck Foundation programs and future strategies. The foundation, in collaboration with the First Lady of Central Africa, announced eight awards for media representatives and artists to promote awareness on sensitive issues.

Merck Foundation has also conducted online health media training sessions and released storybooks and animation films with the First Lady of Central Africa to address social and health issues. The entire conference was streamed live on Merck Foundation's social media platforms.

The foundation's initiatives have provided over 2,500 scholarships to healthcare providers from 52 countries and trained over 3,700 media representatives to raise awareness on social and health issues. They have also launched various awards, songs, storybooks, and animation films to foster cultural and societal change across Africa.