Merck Foundation Launches First ‘Merck Health Media Training’ in Partnership With the First Lady of Guinea

2 July 2019 : Conakry, Guinea & Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany organized their first “Merck Foundation Health Media Training” in Conakry, Guinea in partnership with H.E. Madam DJENE CONDE, The First Lady of Guinea and Ambassador of Merck More Than a Mother together with Ministry of Health and Ministry of Information and Communication to break the stigma around infertility in Guinea and rest of Africa.

Merck Foundation also Calls for Applications for Media Recognition Awards to break infertility stigma

Merck foundation partners with First Lady of Guinea to build healthcare capacity in the fields of Oncology, fertility and diabetes care

​Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany organized their first “Merck Foundation Health Media Training” in Conakry, Guinea in partnership with H.E. Madam DJENE CONDE, The First Lady of Guinea and Ambassador of Merck More Than a Mother together with Ministry of Health and Ministry of Information and Communication to break the stigma around infertility in Guinea and rest of Africa.

“The training program is a part of ‘Merck More than a Mother’ community awareness Program and was organized for the first time in Guinea for local media representatives and media students,” explained Dr. Rasha Kelej CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck More than a Mother.

H.E. Madam DJENE CONDE, The First Lady of Guinea and Ambassador of Merck More Than a Mother emphasized, “We are happy to host this training program together with Merck Foundation.”

“Media plays an important role is sensitizing the society. It can help in breaking the stigma around infertility. I am delighted to initiate this important training session as I strongly believe that media plays a significant role to influence our society to create a cultural shift. It has the capacity and ability to break the stigma around infertility in the community.” Dr. Rasha Kelej added.

The training was addressed by The First Lady of Guinea, H.E. Madam DJENE CONDE, who is also the Ambassador of Merck More Than a Mother and Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck More Than a Mother and Hon. Amara Somparé, Minister of Information and Communication, Guinea. It was also addressed by stalwarts of Media and top Infertility experts.

Moreover, it provided a great opportunity for the journalists to meet the experts and also to network with each other and work as a unit to eradicate the stigma around infertility in Guinea and rest of Africa. It was attended by journalists working for Print, TV, Radio and Online media and journalism students.

“The Merck Health Media Training program focused on the international standards and media ethics for reporting sensitive issues like infertility in Africa. It was designed to benefit the journalists in understanding the infertility issues in African communities and to learn the best media practices to cover such issues” added Dr. Rasha Kelej.

Merck Foundation also announced Call for Application for “Merck More than a Mother” ‘Media Recognition Awards’ for Guinea and rest of Africa. The “Merck More than a Mother” ‘Media Recognition Awards’ were launched in 2017 with the aim to emphasize the role of media in enhancing the public engagement and understanding of infertility stigma and the need to change its social perception in African communities.

The applications are invited by media professionals to showcase their work to raise awareness about infertility prevention and breaking infertility stigma in Guinea and rest of Africa.

Who can apply? Journalists from print, online, radio and multimedia platforms from Guinea and rest of Africa.

Last date of submission: Entries can be submitted till 30th October 2019.

How to apply? Entries can be submitted via email to
[email protected].

Categories and prize money for winners:
Category TV Radio Print Media Online Media
Prize Money USD 1000 USD 1000 USD 1000 USD 1000
About ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ campaign;

“Merck More Than a Mother” initiative aims to empower infertile women through access to information, education and health and by changing mind-sets. This powerful initiative supports governments in defining policies to enhance access to regulated, safe and effective fertility care. It defines interventions to break the stigma around infertile women and raises awareness about infertility prevention and management. In partnership with academia, ministries of health and international fertility societies, the initiative also provides medical education and training for healthcare providers and embryologists to build and advance fertility care capacity in Africa and developing countries.

With “Merck More than a mother”, we have initiated a cultural shift to de-stigmatize infertility on all levels: By improving awareness, training the skills of local experts, building advocacy in cooperation with decision makers and by supporting childless women in starting their own small business. It’s all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to live a fulfilling life, with or without a child.

The Ambassadors of “Merck More Than a Mother” are: H.E. NEO JANE MASISI, The First Lady of Botswana; H.E DENISE NKURUNZIZA, The First Lady of Burundi; H.E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA, The First Lady of Central African Republic; H.E. HINDA DEBY ITNO, The First Lady of Chad; H.E. ANTOINETTE SASSOU-NGUESSO, The First Lady of Congo; H.E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of Ghana; H.E. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, The First Lady of The Gambia; H.E. CONDÉ DJENE, The First Lady of Guinea Conakry; H.E. CLAR WEAH, The First Lady of Republic of Liberia; H.E. PROFESSOR GERTRUDE MUTHARIKA, The First Lady of Malawi; H.E. DR. ISAURA FERRÃO NYUSI, The First Lady of Mozambique; H.E AÏSSATA ISSOUFOU MAHAMADO, The First Lady of Niger; H.E FATIMA MAADA, The First Lady of Sierra Leone; H.E. AUXILLIA MNANGAGW, The First Lady of Zimbabwe; H.E. ESTHER LUNGU, The First Lady of Zambia.

Also, part of the campaign is our Merck Embryology & Fertility Training Program, a three-month hands-on practical course in partnership with IRSI, Indonesia, IIRRH, India and Manipal Academy of Higher Education (Manipal University), India to establish the platform of fertility specialists across Africa and developing countries. Merck Foundation provided for more than 109 candidates, in clinical and practical training for fertility specialists and embryologists in more than 30 countries across Africa and Asia such as: Chad, Niger, Central African Republic, Cote D’Ivoire , Ghana, Ethiopia , Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania , Zambia , Nigeria, Benin, Mali, Burkina Fuso, Senegal, Guinea Conakry, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cameron, Rwanda, Botswana, DR Congo , Congo Brazzaville, Gambia , Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Cambodia.

Merck Foundation is making history in many African countries where they never had fertility specialists or specialized fertility clinics before ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ intervention, to train the first fertility specialists such as; in Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, Niger, Chad, Guinea, Ethiopia and Uganda.

Merck Foundation launched new innovative initiatives to sensitize local communities about infertility prevention, male infertility with the aim to break the stigma of infertility and empowering infertile women as part of Merck more than a Mother such as;
Merck More than a Mother media recognition award and health media training
Merck More than a Mother fashion award
Merck More than a Mother film award
Local songs with local artists to address the cultural perception of infertility and how to change it