First Lady Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow joined eleven other African first ladies at the Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, Africa-Asia Luminary conference in Mumbai, India.
The conference focusing on healthcare is organised in partnership with Tata Memorial Centre and Department of Atomic Energy, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health of India, State Protocol Office of Government of Maharashtra and Krishna World University, Karad.
The conference was inaugurated by Prof Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator, Dr Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and Chairperson of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary, along with African First Ladies of 11 countries.
Senator Dr Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and Chairperson of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary welcomed the guests of honors and keynote speakers, the First Ladies of Africa and Ambassadors of “More Than a Mother” Campaign, for to the annual conference.
“Together, we shared experiences and discussed the impact of our programs to transform patient care and raise awareness on a wide range of sensitive and critical social and health issues. Today we are also marking cancer awareness month,” he said.
He said Merck Foundation provided 138 scholarships of Oncology Training in many sub-specialties to doctors from 37 African countries, many of whom have become the first oncologists in their countries.
“We are making history together in Africa, with our Ambassadors, First Ladies of Africa and our partners, Tata Hospital and Krishna University,” he added.
Prof Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, chairman of both of Executive Board of E Merck KG and Merck Foundation Board of Trustees said Merck Foundation’s goal is to improve the overall health and well-being people by building healthcare capacity and by providing access to quality and equitable healthcare solutions in the Africa, Asia and beyond.
