Foundation Awards 2,600 Scholarships to Address Shortage of Medical Specialists
Mirian Gom 
Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO together with the First Ladies of Angola, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria and São Tomé and Príncipe inaugurated the 13th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2026.
DUBAI, UAE – More than 2,600 healthcare workers from 52 countries have received specialist medical training through Merck Foundation scholarships, a programme the organisation says is helping create the first fertility, oncology and reproductive health specialists in several African and Asian nations.
The milestone was announced during the 13th Edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2026, held virtually on Thursday, bringing together First Ladies, policymakers, healthcare professionals, academics and development partners to discuss strategies for strengthening healthcare systems and expanding access to specialist care.
Speaking at the conference, Chief Executive Officer of Merck Foundation and President of the “More Than a Mother” campaign, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.), said the scholarship programme is addressing critical healthcare workforce shortages across underserved regions.
“I am proud to share that Merck Foundation has provided more than 2,600 scholarships for healthcare providers from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved specialties. Many of our alumni have become the first specialists in their countries,” she said.
According to Kelej, the scholarships cover a broad range of medical disciplines, including oncology, fertility, embryology, sexual and reproductive medicine, women’s health, urology, family medicine, clinical psychiatry and laparoscopic surgical skills.
She noted that more than 800 scholarships have specifically been awarded in fertility and women’s health-related fields, helping to strengthen healthcare services and improve access to reproductive care across 42 countries.
The conference also marked World Infertility Awareness Month, with discussions highlighting the continued stigma faced by infertile and childless women in many societies. Through its “More Than a mother” campaign, the foundation seeks to improve awareness, expand access to healthcare and promote social inclusion for affected women.
The virtual gathering was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of the Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, who reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to building healthcare capacity and improving access to quality medical services.
“At Merck Foundation, we remain committed to improving health and well-being by building healthcare capacity and providing access to quality and equitable healthcare across Africa, Asia and beyond,” he said.
The event featured high-level discussions involving First Ladies from 12 African and Asian countries, who serve as ambassadors of the foundation’s health and social development initiatives.
Among them were First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu; First Lady of Kenya, Rachel Ruto; First Lady of Angola, Ana Dias Lourenço; and First Lady of Botswana, Kaone Boko, alongside representatives from Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
The 2026 conference also commemorated the ninth anniversary of Merck Foundation and 14 years of its development programmes, which were launched in 2012 to improve healthcare access, strengthen health systems and support vulnerable communities.
About the Author
Korede Abdullah 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 