African View/ Sept. 15, 2025
The 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit brought together the First Lady of Kenya, H.E. Rachel Ruto, and 13 First Ladies from across Africa to advance a bold agenda: transforming patient care and tackling critical health and social challenges.
Hosted in Nairobi, the summit was led by Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, alongside Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of the Merck Foundation Board of Trustees. The gathering highlighted the Foundation’s growing impact on Africa’s healthcare landscape through capacity building, women empowerment, and education programs.
Together with Kenya’s First Lady, Merck Foundation has provided 244 scholarships to Kenyan doctors in underserved specialties such as fertility, oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, diabetes, and reproductive health. Nearly 50% of the scholarships went to female doctors, marking a milestone in women’s empowerment within the health sector. Many graduates have since opened specialized clinics, expanding access to care across the country.
Beyond healthcare, the partnership has sponsored the education of 47 underprivileged Kenyan schoolgirls through the Educating Linda program. The Foundation also launched seven children’s storybooks in partnership with the First Lady of Kenya, addressing issues like infertility stigma, gender-based violence, and chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
Since 2012, Merck Foundation has provided 2,280 scholarships to doctors from 52 countries in 44 underserved medical fields. At the Nairobi summit, First Ladies from Angola, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, Senegal, and other nations shared success stories from their countries and pledged to scale up initiatives.
“Together, we are strengthening and transforming our public healthcare landscape. This is an extraordinary milestone that will leave a lasting impact,” said H.E. Rachel Ruto.
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej reaffirmed the Foundation’s mission by stating, “We believe in building healthcare capacity. We will continue to enhance skills in Kenya, Africa, and beyond.”
The Foundation also announced new awards for media, musicians, fashion designers, filmmakers, and students, recognizing their role in raising awareness and driving social change.
The Nairobi summit concluded with a united commitment to accelerate healthcare access, empower women, and amplify African voices in addressing the continent’s most pressing health and social challenges.
Source APO
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