The Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2025 will be inaugurated by The Gambia’s President, H.E. Mr. Adama Barrow, and co-chaired by The Gambia’s First Lady, H.E. Mrs. Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow, alongside Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation. This major event continues the foundation’s strong commitment to africa healthcare training and medical training initiatives Africa.
More than 6,000 healthcare professionals, policymakers, and media representatives from over 70 countries will attend this year’s hybrid edition, highlighting health capacity building workshops and partnerships aimed at improving medical education across Africa and Asia.
Strengthening Healthcare in Africa
Dr. Rasha Kelej expressed excitement about the 12th edition, emphasizing the goal of advancing africa healthcare training and collaboration with governments to transform healthcare delivery. She noted the foundation’s ongoing efforts since 2012 to empower young doctors through specialized scholarships and medical exchange programs.
Mrs. Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow shared her enthusiasm for hosting this global event, saying, “The Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2025 represents a remarkable opportunity for knowledge-sharing and capacity development. Together, we will drive real progress in medical training initiatives Africa and improve public health outcomes.”
Focus on Health Capacity Building Workshops
This year’s conference will host three major health capacity building workshops, focusing on diabetes, hypertension, respiratory care, emergency pediatrics, and neonatal care. Over 300 in-person delegates and thousands of online participants will benefit from expert-led sessions, academic collaboration, and skill enhancement.
Merck Foundation has already granted over 2,400 scholarships to doctors from 52 countries in 44 medical specialties. In The Gambia alone, 94 local doctors have received specialized training—many becoming the first experts in their fields.
Media and Community Engagement
The event also includes a Health Media Training session to equip journalists from The Gambia and other nations to promote awareness on infertility stigma, girls’ education, and gender-based violence. Dr. Kelej emphasized the media’s critical role in cultural transformation and social advocacy.
Global Collaboration and Impact
Participating countries include Nigeria, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Egypt, India, Bangladesh, and over 60 others. The foundation’s collaborative model ensures long-term sustainability in africa healthcare training and medical training initiatives Africa.
Merck Foundation continues to support various community programs, including education for underprivileged girls, diabetes awareness campaigns, and creative social projects through music, art, and storytelling.
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This story was first reported by Merck Foundation. Read the full article here.
