Merck Foundation Together with African and Asian First Ladies Mark ‘World Assisted Reproductive Technology Day' 2025
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of 'More Than a Mother' emphasized, 'At Merck Foundation we mark World Assisted Reproductive Technology Day by building Fertility and Reproductive Care capacity and empowering infertile women by improving their access to information, change of mindset and quality & equitable fertility care across Africa & Asia as part of our 'More than a Mother' campaign.
I am very proud to share that we have provided till today 716 scholarships of Embryology, Fertility and Sexual & Reproductive care to young doctors from 41 countries in Africa and Asia to be the local Embryologists, Fertility & Reproductive care experts in their countries. Moreover, many of our Alumni were trained to be the first local experts in their countries where they never had even a single local embryologist or fertility specialist before our program such as; The Gambia, Burundi, Guinea, Chad, Niger, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Malawi, Congo, Mozambique and more.
Together with African First Ladies, and other important partners, we are making history and reshaping the landscape of fertility & Reproductive care across Africa and beyond,' added Dr. Kelej.
Merck Foundation 'More Than a Mother' is a powerful campaign that defines interventions to build quality and equitable Reproductive and Fertility Care Capacity, Break Infertility Stigma and Raise Awareness about Infertility Prevention and Male Infertility.
Merck Foundation has provided 2280 scholarships for doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties.
'To give an overview, out of our total 716 scholarships for Fertility and Reproductive care, we have provided more than 324 Scholarships for clinical and practical training to Fertility Specialists and Embryologists, and more than 392 Scholarships for PG Diploma and Master Degree in Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, Clinical Psychiatry, Women's Health, Biotechnology of Human Assisted Reproduction & Embryology, Urology, Laparoscopic Surgical skills and Family Medicine to doctors from 41 countries across Africa and Asia. We are proud of this achievement,' added Dr. Rasha Kelej.
According to WHO data, more than 180 million couples in developing countries – that is 1 in every 4 couple, suffer from infertility. In many cultures in Africa, infertility is a huge stigma. Women are solely blamed for failing to conceive and the social stigma of childlessness, especially for women leads to isolation and stigmatization and results in discrimination and ostracism. This mostly also leads to divorce or physical or psychological violence. As a part of 'More Than a Mother' Campaign, Merck Foundation has launched many initiatives to break this stigma and create a culture shift.
Merck Foundation has also been empowering childless and infertile women through their 'Empowering Berna' initiative under their 'More Than a Mother' movement. This initiative helps women who cannot be treated for infertility anymore by helping them get trained to establish small businesses so that they can be independent and rebuild their lives. Through 'Empowering Berna', the lives of many infertile women have been transformed in many African countries like Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Niger, Malawi, and many more.
'It's all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to lead a fulfilling life, with or without a child,' added Dr. Kelej.
Moreover, Merck Foundation has trained more than 3700 media representatives from more than 35 countries to raise community awareness and break the stigma around infertility and infertile and childless women.
Merck Foundation in partnership with Africa's First Ladies, has also launched 'More Than Mother' Children's storybook to emphasize strong family values of love and respect from a young age which will reflect on eliminating the stigma of infertility and the resulted domestic violence in the future. The storybooks have been localized for each country and in three languages, English, French and Portuguese to better connect with the young readers. The book has also been adapted to an animation film.
Watch More Than a Mother Animation Film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri1vnt7VM-M
Merck Foundation's pan African TV program 'Our Africa', that is conceptualized, produced, directed, and co-hosted by Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and features African Fashion Designers, Singers, and prominent experts from various domains with the aim to raise awareness and create a culture shift across Africa, has many episodes dedicated to raise awareness about infertility and breaking infertility stigma.
Watch the episodes here:
Episode 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BONCtUJZLHI
Episode 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqobIDOHc4E&feature=youtu.be
Episode 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXkB6sYb2Rw
Merck Foundation has also released about 30 songs, many of these songs have been created with the aim to break the infertility stigma, as a part of their 'More Than a Mother' campaign. Listen to some of the songs here:
1. Watch, share & subscribe to the 'Plus qu'une MERE' composed and sung by Ms. Lucky-Lou, the daughter of The President and The First Lady of Burundi: https://youtu.be/EEUjxjqlHv0
2. Watch, share & subscribe to the 'More Than a Mother' song by Cwesi Oteng and Adina from Ghana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ6ZprqAAJs
3. Watch, share & subscribe to the 'More Than a Mother' song by Zambian Soul Singer Wezi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcRAHDuCjak
4. Watch, share & subscribe to the 'More Than a Mother' song by Sunita Daffeh from the Gambia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb0SEqMO0Sc
Listen to all 'More than a Mother' songs here:
https://merck-foundation.com/our-programs/Merck-Foundation-More-Than-a-Mother/Local-Songs-and-Children-Stories
'To address this important issue of breaking infertility stigma and also a wide range of other social issues, we annually launch Merck Foundation 'More Than a Mother' Awards in partnership with African First Ladies. I would also like to invite the African Community of Media, Fashion, Filmmaking, and Musicians, students, and potential talents in these fields to apply for the awards this year by sharing their creative work on submit@merck-foundation.com,' concluded Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej.
Click on the link below to Download Merck Foundation App
https://apps.apple.com/co/app/merck-foundation/id1535584997?l=en
Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard!
Facebook: Merck Foundation
X: @MerckFoundation
YouTube: MerckFoundation
Instagram: Merck Foundation
Threads: Merck Foundation
Flickr: Merck Foundation
Website: https://merck-foundation.com/
(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
5 common mistakes that attract mosquitoes to you
They may be tiny, but mosquitoes are considered the deadliest animals on Earth, responsible for spreading diseases like malaria, dengue, Zika, and yellow fever. According to the World Mosquito Program, these buzzing bloodsuckers contribute to over one million deaths every year, making it worth understanding what draws them in. Not considering your blood type Some blood types are more attractive to mosquitoes than others — and unfortunately, this isn't something you can control. In a 2022 study , researchers found that different mosquito species show distinct preferences: Type O: Highly attractive to the Asian tiger mosquito ( Aedes albopictus ) Type AB: A favorite of the marsh mosquito ( Anopheles gambiae ) Even more interesting : around 80% of people naturally secrete a substance through their skin that reveals their blood type. If you're a "secretor," you're more likely to get bitten — regardless of your actual blood group. Producing more carbon dioxide Mosquitoes have a strong sense for carbon dioxide, and they can detect it from over 100 feet away. That's bad news if you breathe heavily, talk a lot outdoors, and sleep with your mouth open. Because CO₂ is exhaled through your nose and mouth, mosquitoes are often drawn to your head and face first. That constant buzzing near your ear? Not your imagination. Letting sweat and skin bacteria build up Mosquitoes don't just smell sweat; they analyze it. Your skin produces several chemical cues that they love- lactic acid and ammonia in sweat, bacteria that mix with sweat to form unique body odors, and carboxylic acids, or fatty acids, which one study found in higher concentrations in people most prone to bites. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like They Were So Beautiful Before; Now Look At Them; Number 10 Will Shock You Cash Roadster Undo Overlooking Factors Like Pregnancy and Alcohol Certain conditions can amplify your mosquito appeal. One such is pregnancy. A 2000 study in Africa found that pregnant women attracted twice as many mosquitoes as non-pregnant women. This was linked to increased carbon dioxide output and higher body temperature during late pregnancy. Another is beer. Even a single bottle can make a difference. In one study, participants who drank a liter of beer attracted significantly more mosquitoes than those who drank water. The reason isn't fully understood, but it may be due to alcohol's effect on body chemistry and temperature. Wearing the wrong clothes and eating the wrong foods Clothing and diet also matter. Mosquitoes are visual hunters, and they're drawn more to dark colors like green and black than to lighter shades such as white or gray. As for food, while evidence is still emerging, one study from the University of Wisconsin found that eating bananas increased mosquito contact. Folk wisdom also points to salty, sweet, spicy, or potassium-rich foods as potential culprits, but the banana link is one of the few backed by research. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Telangana govt forms 3-member committee to inspect violations at fertility centres across state
Hyderabad: The Telangana govt has formed a high-level committee to inspect private IVF clinics and fertility centres across the state. This move follows a major surrogacy scam recently exposed in Hyderabad, where a couple discovered that the baby they received through a fertility centre was not their biological child. The baby was allegedly bought from a poor family in Assam and sold to the couple for Rs 35 lakh. The clinic involved, Universal Srushti Fertility Centre, operated despite its licence being cancelled, and several people, including its founder, Dr Athaluri Namratha, were arrested. Following this, the health, medical and family welfare department issued an order on Saturday, directing the formation of a three-member committee. It includes the commissioner of health and family welfare, the CEO of rajiv aarogyasri health care trust, and the director of medical education. The committee is tasked with inspecting the functioning of private IVF clinics, verifying whether they are registered under the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, and the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, and checking if proper documentation and ethical procedures are being followed. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like How to Trade ETH/USD Without Holding Ether IC Markets Learn More Undo You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad The panel will also review existing complaints and legal cases against clinics and examine how such violations went unnoticed. It will investigate whether patients were misled and if there were lapses in how clinics handled egg or sperm donation, embryo transfers, or surrogacy procedures. The committee has been given ten days to submit its findings and can bring in external experts if needed. Officials stated that strict action will be taken against any clinic found violating the law. The govt has urged the public to be cautious and verify the credentials of fertility centres before undergoing any procedure. The goal, they said, is to ensure ethical and legal reproductive care in the state. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
The Hindu
12 hours ago
- The Hindu
Telangana government sets up committee to probe violations at private IVF clinics and fertility centres
The Telangana government has constituted a committee to investigate violations of statutory provisions and ethical norms at private in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) clinics and fertility centres across the State. The move comes after the Hyderabad City Police busted a baby-selling racket at Universal Srushti Fertility Centre, Secunderabad recently. A Government Order (GO) issued by the Health Secretary Christina Z. Chongthu on Saturday, August 2 stated that numerous clinics were flouting established ethical guidelines in contravention of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, and the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, failing to adhere to mandatory registration requirements, and lacking transparency in procedures such as gamete donation, embryo transfer, and surrogacy arrangements. The committee, formed under the supervision of the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare, will comprise the Commissioner herself, the Chief Executive Officer of the Rajiv Aarogyasri Health Care Trust (RAHCT), and the Director of Medical Education (DME). Its mandate is to conduct comprehensive inspections of all private IVF clinics and fertility centres in Telangana, ensuring strict adherence to legal, clinical, and ethical standards in reproductive medical services, the GO said. The order directs the committee to scrutinise whether clinics are violating provisions of the ART and Surrogacy Acts by examining their functioning, patient consent processes, sourcing of gametes, and maintenance of procedural documentation. The committee is also tasked with analysing prior complaints, first information reports (FIRs), and departmental actions against erring clinics to assess the scale of the violations and the number of affected individuals, including oocyte and sperm donors, surrogates, and commissioning couples. The committee will also investigate any possible role or inaction of public officials or regulatory bodies, such as the Medical Council, in enabling these violations. Additionally, it has been asked to evaluate the adequacy of existing regulatory frameworks and suggest measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents. A detailed report with specific findings and recommendations is to be submitted to the government within 10 days. The committee may also summon officials or experts to provide information or evidence relevant to the inquiry.
