Malawi Tackles Infertility with Merck Foundation

Rebecca Ejifoma

CEO of Merck Foundation, Dr. Rasha Kelej and First Lady of Malawi, Prof. Gertrude Mutharila

Merck foundation has partnered the first lady of Malawi, Professor Gertrude Mutharika and others, to train Malawian doctors in the fields of cancer, diabetes and fertility care as efforts to improve access to equitable and quality healthcare in the country against infertility stigma.

Other partners are: ministries of Health, Information, Education and Gender. Also, Merck foundation will launch a storybook to teach children and youth strong family values of love and respect - Limbani and Takondwa’s Story.

Merck Foundation will also launch ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ Fashion Awards to create a meaningful fashion trend aiming to educate our communities that ‘Fertility is a Shared Responsibility’.

Mutharika expressed: “I am happy to welcome Merck Foundation to officially launch their programmes which are going to be very beneficial for the people of our country.”

According to her, the programmes will prove very significant in creating an impact on her people’s advancement, as health is very critical to our social and economic development.

Meanwhile, other benefits from the programmes include: break stigma of infertility across the country.

“We are happy that Merck Foundation understands our culture and working closely with Dr. Rasha Kelej, the CEO of the foundation, as an African woman adds value to the success of the programs since she is coming from similar background,” she added.

In her reaction, Kelej noted that it was important  for them to underscore their long term partnership with Mutharika.

“We will be training Malawian doctors in the fields of Diabetes, Fertility and Cancer care in partnership with the Government of Malawi. Our aim is to improve the health and wellbeing of people of the continent,” she said.

During the launch programme, Merck Foundation together with these partners will launched an inspiring children story.

“Limbani and Takondwa for children to strengthen family values of love and respect since young ages which will reflect on eliminating the stigma of infertility and resulted domestic violence in the future,” the CEO disclosed.