First Lady Monica Chakwera has commended Merck Foundation for various projects in health and girls’ education the international organisation is implementing in the country.

She was speaking during the 10th edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary and Merck Foundation’s 6th Anniversary in Mumbai, India.

Chakwera noted that the Educating Linda project and More than a Mother campaign Merck Foundation is implementing, have started producing the desired results as evidenced by the sponsorship of 60 best performing Malawian girls from secondary schools.

The First Lady noted that educated girls are less likely to marry young and more likely to lead healthy and productive lives.

Said Chakwera: “I would also like to appreciate Merck Foundation’s More Than a Mother campaign that aims to empower infertile and childless women through access to information, education and change of mindset.

“This campaign is very critical for my country and for Africa at large, and I am fully supporting it through my ambassadorship.”

In her part speech, Merck Foundation chief executive officer Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej said her organisation is committed to advancing healthcare capacity, patient care transformation and reshaping the landscape of the public healthcare sector in 50 countries across the globe, including Malawi.

“Apart from healthcare capacity advancement, we are also working hard to raise awareness on a wide range of sensitive and critical social and health issues like supporting girl education, ending child marriage, stopping GBV [gender based violence], breaking infertility stigma, ending FGM [female genital mutilation] women empowerment, diabetes awareness, and hypertension awareness through our various initiatives like Health Media Training,” she said.

On her part, Ghana First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo called on all African leaders to pay to put much effort on girls’ education and empowerment.

Since its inception, Merck Foundation has so far provided about 1 700 scholarships to young doctors from 50 countries in 42 critical and underserved specialties such as diabetes, endocrinology, oncology, cardiovascular, fertility care, embryology and sexual & reproductive medicine, among others.

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