Dubai: Merck Foundation Chairman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and 14 First Ladies inaugurated the 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative - MFFLI Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event was led by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative, alongside the First Ladies of 14 African and Asian countries who served as Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers.
According to African Press Organization, the summit, held on June 19th and 20th, 2025, was a platform for exchanging experiences and discussing the impact of programs aimed at transforming patient care and addressing social and health issues. Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej highlighted the importance of the initiative and recognized the First Ladies as Ambassadors of the More Than a Mother campaign. The summit also marked the World Infertility Awareness Month, focusing on empowering infertile women through access to information and education.
Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp emphasized Merck Foundation's commitment to improving health by building healthcare capacity and providing access to quality healthcare solutions. The foundation's efforts include more than 2,500 scholarships for young doctors from 52 countries in 44 specialties, contributing significantly to the healthcare landscape in Africa and beyond.
The First Ladies participating as Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers represented 14 countries, including Angola, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, and Zimbabwe. These First Ladies are also Ambassadors for Merck Foundation's More Than a Mother campaign, advocating for women's health and empowerment.
The summit also highlighted the 8th anniversary of Merck Foundation and 13 years of its development programs. A plenary session and high-level panel discussions were held, featuring African Ministers and global healthcare experts. The second day included sessions on oncology, fertility, and media training, aiming to influence communities on various social and health issues.
The conference was conducted in a hybrid format, engaging over 6,000 participants from more than 70 countries. This format allowed for effective discussions on health and social challenges. The event was streamed live on Merck Foundation's and Dr. Rasha Kelej's social media platforms, reaching a wide audience.
Merck Foundation's initiatives extend beyond the summit, with over 3,700 media persons trained to raise awareness on health issues, annual awards for media, fashion, and arts, and educational materials like songs, storybooks, and animation films. The foundation also offers scholarships for underprivileged African schoolgirls and maintains a robust social media presence with over 8 million followers.