LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The CEO Merck Foundation, a philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej says infertility affects over 180 million couples in developing countries with women often bearing the brunt of societal stigma.
Kelej spoke while celebrating the 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD) alongside Africa’s first ladies, who serve as ambassadors of the foundation.
They celebrated this year’s IWD through their More Than a Mother Campaign initiative, a movement aimed at empowering women living with infertility stigma through access to information, education, change of mindset and economic empowerment.
Kelej said the foundation has launched various initiatives to challenge the stigma and foster a supportive environment.
She extended her wishes to women worldwide and expressed gratitude to the men who champion and empower them.
Kelej said the campaign is a robust initiative also aimed at infertility prevention and male infertility.
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She underscored the impact of the foundation’s initiatives in building fertility care capacity across Africa and Asia and made an announcement that over 545 scholarships in embryology, fertility, and reproductive care have been awarded to young doctors from 39 countries.
“These efforts have led to the emergence of local experts in countries where such specialists were previously unavailable.“
“One such initiative is the “Empowering Berna” Programme, which empowers infertile women by providing them with training to establish small businesses, enabling them to achieve independence and rebuild their lives,” she said.
Dr. Kelej emphasized the importance of respecting and supporting every woman, irrespective of her fertility status, in leading a fulfilling life.
Additionally, the foundation, in collaboration with Africa’s first ladies, has introduced the “More Than Mother” Children’s storybook to instil strong family values from a young age, aiming to eliminate the stigma of infertility and its associated domestic violence in the future.
Through these initiatives, Merck Foundation and its partners continue to make significant strides in promoting gender equality, empowering women, and reshaping societal attitudes towards infertility and childlessness.
According to a WHO report, around 17.5 percent of the adult population experience infertility, with ratio 1 to 6 people worldwide.
The report stated: “The statistics show the urgent need to widen access to affordable, high-quality fertility care for those in need.
“With the Nigerian healthcare system still posing numerous challenges like deteriorating medical infrastructure, low budget of government funding, incessant migration of skilled health workers and abysmally low compensation”