Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej meets Mauritius President to discuss the impact of their programs to build innovative healthcare capacity and empower women in STEM
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of 'More Than a Mother' Campaign emphasized, 'It was a great honor to meet H.E. MR. DHARAMBEER GOKHOOL, The President of Mauritius and share with him the impact of our partnership and programs since 2017 that aim to transform patient care, build healthcare and media capacity, to empower women in STEM, support girl education and raise awareness about social and health issues in Mauritius and the rest of Africa.
I am proud to share that we have provided 100 scholarships for Mauritian doctors in 42 critical and under-served specialties. During our meeting, we also discussed the possibility of providing specialized training for Mauritian doctors in innovative and emerging fields such as Stem Cell Therapy in pathology, CAR T-cell treatment, AI in Radiology, Radiotherapy and Medical Oncology, Robotic Surgical Oncology, Neurology, Nephrology, Urology, and Neurosurgery.'
She further added, 'We are strongly committed to work closely with Ministry of Health to improve access to innovative and equitable healthcare solutions.'
The 100 scholarships for local Mauritian Doctors have been provided for One-Year PG Diploma and Two-year Master Degrees in many critical specialties including Fertility, Embryology, Sexual&Reproductive Care, Oncology, Preventative Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Acute Medicine, Respiratory, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Neuroimaging for Research, Sexual&Reproductive Care, Clinical Microbiology and infectious diseases, Internal Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Ophthalmology, Laparoscopic Surgical Skills, Critical Care, Neonatal Medicine, Psychiatry, Family Medicine, Advanced Cytopathology and many more.
Merck Foundation has so far provided more than 2280 scholarships for young doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved specialties, with many of them becoming the first specialists in their countries.
During her visit, Merck Foundation CEO also met the Hon'ble Ms. Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, and senior officials from the Office of Hon'ble Minister of Health, Mauritius.
Merck Foundation also conducted the 4 th Edition of their Health Media Training for the Mauritian Media Representatives in partnership with Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mauritius. The training session was conducted to emphasize on the important role that media plays to influence society to create a cultural shift with the aim to address wide range of social and health issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, Stopping GBV, Diabetes and Hypertension awareness. It was co-chaired by Merck Foundation CEO and Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mauritius.
During the training session, the Call for Application for 8 important Merck Foundation Awards were announced for Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents in these fields.
The award announced are:
Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition Awards 'More Than a Mother' 2025, in partnership with Media Trust Board, Mauritius: Media representatives and media students are invited to showcase their work to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.
Submission deadline: 30 th September 2025.
Merck Foundation Fashion Awards 'More Than a Mother' 2025, in partnership with Academy of Design and Innovation, Mauritius: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.
Submission deadline: 30 th September 2025.
Merck Foundation Film Awards 'More Than a Mother' 2025: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to address one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.
Submission deadline: 30 th September 2025.
Merck Foundation Song Awards 'More Than a Mother' 2025: All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to address one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.
Submission deadline: 30 th September 2025.
Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards 2025 'Diabetes&Hypertension', in partnership with Media Trust Board, Mauritius: Media representatives are invited to showcase their work through strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.
Submission deadline: 30 th October 2025.
Merck Foundation Fashion Awards 2025 'Diabetes&Hypertension', in partnership with Academy of Design and Innovation, Mauritius: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.
Submission deadline: 30 th October 2025.
Merck Foundation Film Awards 2025 'Diabetes&Hypertension: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.
Submission deadline: 30 th October 2025.
Merck Foundation Song Awards 2025 'Diabetes&Hypertension': All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.
Submission deadline: 30 th October 2025.
Entries for the above awards can be submitted to us at:
submit@merck-foundation.com
For information on the above awards, please visit our website:
www.Merck-Foundation.com
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.
Contact:
Mehak Handa
Community Awareness Program Manager
Phone: +91 9310087613/ +91 9319606669
Email: mehak.handa@external.merckgroup.com
Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard!
Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/45BzhlD
X: https://apo-opa.co/471AW4Z
YouTube: https://apo-opa.co/47aWiwV
Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/3UCptRT
Flickr: https://apo-opa.co/4fGmzFi
Website: www.Merck-Foundation.com
About Merck Foundation:
The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality&equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare&scientific research capacity, empowering girls in education and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website. Please visit www.Merck-Foundation.com to read more. Follow the social media of Merck Foundation: Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/45BzhlD), X ( https://apo-opa.co/471AW4Z), Instagram (https://apo-opa.co/3UCptRT), YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/47aWiwV), Threads (https://apo-opa.co/45tpZbf) and Flickr (https://apo-opa.co/4fGmzFi).
The Merck Foundation is dedicated to improving social and health outcomes for communities in need. While it collaborates with various partners, including governments to achieve its humanitarian goals, the foundation remains strictly neutral in political matters. It does not engage in or support any political activities, elections, or regimes, focusing solely on its mission to elevate humanity and enhance well-being while maintaining a strict non-political stance in all of its endeavors.
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