• Mon. Feb 10th, 2025

Taarifa News

Latest News Around the Globe

760 Cardiovascular, Diabetes and Endocrinology Scholarships By Merck Foundation To Benefit 52 Countries

May 18, 2024 #Africa, #Merck Foundation
3,435 300

By Isabella Maua

As the globe marks World Hypertension Day, Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, in collaboration with Africa’s First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Media Societies, and Academia through their “Nationwide Diabetes & Hypertension Blue Points Program,” has provided scholarships for young doctors to transform the patient care landscape.

In her statement, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of the of Merck Foundation, affirmed their undeterred determination to improve access to quality and equitable hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular preventive care, which are all related in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

“Together with our ambassadors, we have till today provided more than 760 degrees in preventive cardiovascular, diabetes, endocrinology, and obesity, as well as weight management, besides a special 3-month diabetes master course in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish,” divulged Senator Dr. Kelej.

So far, these scholarships have been provided to more than 1810 doctors, not only from the world’s capitals and biggest cities but across 52 countries, in 42 critical and undeserved medical specialties.

She added: “We recently launched new fellowship programs for one-year clinical cardiovascular care and one-year clinical diabetes onsite training programs in India for African doctors. These programs will help us to further improve cardiovascular, hypertension, and diabetes care in Africa and other developing countries.”

Dr. Victoria Mumbo is a grateful Merck Foundation alumnus from Kenya who has completed a post-graduate degree in preventive cardiovascular medicine.

She observes: “After the completion of this course, my approach to patient management has changed. It has helped me to also educate the community about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle.”

Collaboratively with African First Ladies, Merck Foundation has released a children’s storybook and adapted animation film titled “Mark’s Pressure,” which is aimed at focusing on the causes of the early onset of hypertension and raising awareness about its early detection, prevention, and management.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *