MERCK Foundation says it has offered African doctors from 43 countries over 650 scholarships for specialist training in Cardiovascular, Diabetes and endocrinology care.
By Staff Reporter
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany marks World Hypertension Day 2022 in partnership with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Medical Societies and Academia, through their long-term commitment toward building Cardiovascular, Diabetes, and Endocrinology care capacity in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
At Merck Foundation, we mark ‘World Hypertension Day’ every day by providing more than 650 scholarships of Cardiovascular, Diabetes and endocrinology care specialty training to doctors from Africa, in partnership with African First Ladies and Ministries of Health, and to doctors from Asian and Latin American countries as well. I am very proud to say that we have so far provided these 650 scholarships for medical postgraduates from 43 countries” Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation said.
“Additionally, we enroll doctors for three-month Diabetes Master course in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, so as to advance their clinical knowledge in tackling these noncommunicable conditions.”
Dr. Francis Agyekum, Merck Foundation alumnus from Ghana said, “Ghana is a developing country with an increasing burden of cardiovascular diseases. However, the country does not have the resources and manpower to manage the huge burden of noncommunicable diseases The best hope for tackling this increasing burden of CVD is through increased emphasis on prevention (both primary and secondary prevention). Unfortunately, there are not many cardiologists and preventive services in the country. This important scholarship provided to me and other Ghanian doctors by Merck Foundation has equipped us to begin filling this gap, prevention is better than cure”.
