Merck Foundation offers specialized training to doctors Zim – African Daily Voice

Johannesburg, South Africa (ADV) – The Merck Foundation will train Zimbabwean medical staff this year in various specialties in India starting this year, African Daily Voice has learned.

This follows a meeting on Friday between the First Lady of Zimbabwe, Auxillia Mnangagwa and the leaders of the Merck Foundation, at the First Ladies Summit.

According to The Herald, the first ladies from Guinea Conakry, Gambia, Botswana, Burundi, Congo-Brazzaville, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Liberia, Mozambique, Mauritania and Malawi will attend the meeting.

Mnangagwa, ambbadador of maternal and child care in Zimbabwe, has been appointed ambbadador of "Merck – More than a Mother" in Zimbabwe to help end the stigma badociated with infertility among couples.

After meeting Dr. Rasha Kelej, Executive Director of the Merck Foundation, Mnangagwa said she was delighted to have reached an agreement that will transform the country's health sector.

"The breakthrough is the most exciting thing for me and the nation," said Mnangagwa.

"The Merck Foundation contacted me last year and missed the first summit held in Senegal, but this time I managed to get to Dubai. , where many First Ladies attend and some of them joined a long time ago. first time to attend the summit. The Merck Foundation provides training to our doctors, infertility awareness, training in diabetes and hypertension. It also brings empowerment to women, girls and young people.

"I am so excited to participate in this program as it will experience a major change and development in our country," she said.

Mnangagwa also revealed that Dr. Kelej had asked to travel to Zimbabwe.

"Dr. Rasha Kelej also wants to come to Zimbabwe to see what we have done so far and the areas that it can strengthen. I've also heard from other First Ladies about the impact Merck has had on the citizens of their country. I think it will also strengthen my abilities as I run across the country to train and raise awareness about stigma. The only stigma badociated with infertility affects many women.

"Some of our doctors will be trained in India for months and years, and when they come back, they will serve our country. The media will also be trained on how to report and educate the public so that it helps to alert people to the events and the evolution of my activities.

"The training of cancer alumni and more doctors specializing in diabetes, blood pressure and prostate cancer will go a long way towards helping our country. We were mainly dealing with cervical cancer, but now we are going to pbad it on to men so that they are controlled and screened for prostate cancer and diabetes, "she added. .

"The Merck Foundation's training in infertility will dramatically change people's perceptions, knowing that every time a couple fails to conceive, the blame is immediately blamed on the woman simply because that she comes from a region or from a given family. will be cursed yet both (husband and wife) are also responsible.

"I have a group in Zimbabwe that deals with the issue. I will help them fight against stigma, "she said.

Dr. Kelej explained that she followed the philanthropic works of Mnangagwa through the media.

"We have successfully held a meeting here with the First Lady of Zimbabwe to underscore our long-standing commitment to and empowerment of Zimbabweans, with a focus on ancestral cancer care. and diabetes.

"We also discussed how to raise awareness and overcome the stigma of infertility and empower women and girls in education.

"We are delighted to have appointed Excellency the First Lady of Zimbabwe, Auxillia Mnangagwa, ambbadador for" Merck, more than a mother "in Zimbabwe, to help us overcome the stigma of infertility , to support infertile women and to give them more state of mind, "she says.

Dr. Kelej added, "We will also cooperate with his office, Angel of Hope Foundation, and the Zimbabwean Ministry of Health and Child Care to train fertility specialists and embryologists and to provide local expertise to empower those affected in Zimbabwe. There is a very important program called Bluepoints, in which we will be launching nationwide a one – year online diploma from South Wales University of Britain to educate doctors about how to manage and prevent diabetes through a one year diploma. one from each of Zimbabwe's 10 provinces. "

Physicians are expected to create their own diabetes clinics after graduating to help patients.

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