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Merck Foundation holds 9th Africa Asia Luminary in Dubai
• Some first ladies with CEO of Merck foundation and other dignitaries
An organisation which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology, Merck Foundation, has successfully held its 9th Africa Asia Luminary in Dubai from Tuesday, November 15 to Wednesday November 16.
The initiative which marks 10 years of Development Programmes and 5th anniversary of Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck Germany, had more than 6,000 participants from more than 70 countries.
Addressing the opening session, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Merck Foundation, Senator Dr Rasha Kelej, said it was a great honour to have the chairman of both the Executive Board of E. Merck KG and Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr Frank Stabgenberg-Haverkamp to officially inaugurate the Luminary.
She acknowledged Prof. Dr Stabganberg-Haverkamp’s valuable guidance and support for Merck Foundation.
Senator Dr Kelej revealed that the Foundation had provided more than 1,470 scholarships to young doctors from 50 countries in 32 critical and undeserved specialties such as diabetes, endocrinology, oncology, embryology, sexual and reproductive medicine among others with most of them becoming the first-ever specialists in their countries.
“We will celebrate together the 5th anniversary of Merck Foundation which was established in 2017 and the 10th anniversary of the programmes which started in 2012.
She said together with the First Ladies, they would share experiences and discuss the impact of their programmes to build healthcare and media capacity.
This she said aimed at raising awareness on sensitive and critical issues in addition to wide range of social issues like supporting girl education, ending child marriage, stopping GBV, breaking infertility stigma, ending FGM, women empowerment and diabetes.
Touching on the diabetes awareness song, she pleaded with the First Ladies and media to help promote it to get the message across to make an impact considering the increasing rate of diabetes in Ghana.
She further said the huge milestone wouldn’t have been achieved without the support of the first ladies, adding that healthcare is a major drive of the economy.
She thanked the first ladies for their commitment and support for a successful story over the years and expressed appreciation to the Merck Foundation for their unflinching support and dedication.
Prof Dr Stabganberg-Haverkamp said after two difficult years, it felt great to be back physically.
According to him, it had been a wonderful journey of transforming lives since 2012, and expressed appreciation to each and everyone for immense contribution to the Merck Foundation story of raising awareness and building efficacy.
He acknowledged the effort of first ladies in raising awareness for the Merck More Than A Mother initiative.
Prof.Dr Stabganberg-Haverkamp congratulated efforts of the Merck Foundation alumni, adding that they are proud of their success stories of impacting lives in their countries after graduating from various sponsorship programmes.
He further noted that he is personally pleased with their stories, for it encourages his outfit to continuously sponsor health professionals to touch more lives and be part of Africa’s story.
The First Lady of Central African Republic, Bridgette Touadera, delivering the keynote address said she started her partnership with Merck Foundation in 2015, and it has since been an impactful journey.
She took the opportunity to congratulate her colleague first ladies for their enormous roles and pledged their support to Merck Foundation, adding that their partnership has kept growing stronger every year.
Madame Bridgette Touadera expressed appreciation to the key roles doctors and medical practitioners play in every society and urged them to continue the hard work.
She added that her Foundation through the support of Merck has immensely supported the healthcare sector to train more doctors and other practitioners.
This she said had hugely impacted lives of people in Central Africa Republic and other African countries.
She urged her colleague first ladies to continue on their quest to overcome stigma associated with infertility and empower women through ‘Educating Linda’ initiative to inspire young ladies.
After the inaugural session, there was panel discussion of health experts from all over the world.
It continued the next day, Wednesday, November 16, with training sessions for health professionals and the media.
Since 2012 and the formation of Merck Foundation, Senator Dr Rasha Kelej has developed many impactful programmes.
Programmes such as Merck Capacity Advancement Programmes, Merck Cancer Access, Merck More Than a Mother, Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI), Education Linda Programme, Diabetes Blue Points Programme, and Merck STEM for Women and Youth have yielded positive results as well as changed lives.
These programmes are focused on building healthcare capacity and transforming patient care landscape through providing scholarships of training in critical and undeserved medical specialties in Africa and developing countries.
Senator Dr Kelej together with African First Ladies have been breaking the silence on a wide range of critical and sensitive social and health issues like Supporting Girl Education, Breaking Infertility Stigma, Stopping GBV and FGM, Ending Child Marriage and Empowering women at all levels; through many of her innovative and unique initiatives like; Creating more than 30 songs in English, French, Portuguese and other local languages to create awareness on health issues.
From Edem Mensah-Tsotorme, Dubai
Ghana’s parliament has marked the 2nd edition of May Day 2026 under the theme “ Welcome Home”.
It was special day meant to celebrate the invaluable support of the workforce, recognizing the commitment, resilience, and contributions of workers to institutional growth and national development.
Delivering the message on behalf of the Speaker, the 1st Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, described the theme as very apt, appropriate, and timely, noting that Parliament is more than a workplace, it is a shared home.
He emphasized that we cannot speak about work without speaking about people, reminding everyone that the true measure of our work is the well-being of our people.
He urged that our traditional clothing become an integral part of our everyday clothing, and that our local languages must become integral to our daily lives, interwoven into education and practiced at home.
Referencing Standing Order 63, which captures the use of local language as optional in deliberations, he encouraged a renewed commitment to identity, saying it is significant that we “come home” and present who we are so future generations can inherit a story they can fully tell.
The Clerk, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, in his remarks commended officers for their dedication and devotion to duty, calling on them to go the extra mile and leave legacies.
Echoing the reminder that an unexamined life is not worth living, he described the event as an invitation to reconnect with our roots through cultural revival.
The Deputy Clerk, C&FMS, Dr. Gloria Sarku Kumawu, urged all not to forget their roots, the people behind the stories of ministries, industries, and the strides made both in-house and beyond.
What began last year has now become a meaningful tradition, showcasing Ghanaian heritage, fostering unity, and encouraging innovation under the principle of diversity for unity and diversity for progress, she added.
The gathering brought together leadership, public officials, and staff across all levels, along with the media, standing as a unifying platform that honored service, celebrated culture, and reaffirmed a shared commitment to national development.
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Manhyia would serve as Ghana’s unifying force …Otumfuo assures on commemoration of 27 years on the Golden Stool
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, last Friday celebrated his 27th enstoolment with a colourful and culture-rich ceremony at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, drawing a distinguished gathering of dignitaries from across Ghana and beyond.
Clad in splendid kente and adorned in rich traditional regalia, the dignitaries added colour and elegance to the occasion, as the palace grounds came alive with a vibrant display of Ghanaian culture.
Traditional drumming, dancing and symbolic rites underscored the deep-rooted heritage of the Ashanti Kingdom, captivating guests and reaffirming the value of tradition in modern society.
Speaking at a high-level Executive Gala organised by the Diaspora Affairs Office of the Office of the President in strategic partnership with the E ON 3 Group, the ‘World-Meets-in-Ghana’ gala, the Asantehene urged Ghanaians to guard against the divisive tendencies of partisan politics.
The event was to honour the Asantehene’s nearly three-decade reign under the theme ‘Advancing Peace and Sustainable Economic Development through Royal Vision’.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted that such attitudes threatened the country’s long-standing values of unity, civility and brotherliness.
He assured that Manhyia would continue to serve as a unifying force for the nation.
The celebration also featured the presentation of commemorative gold coins to notable national leaders, including the President, John Dramani Mahama, former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as well as Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a former Vice President in recognition of their contributions to peace and national development.
By Spectator Reporter
