The "More than a Mother" campaign is launched; First lady appointed ambassador

General News on Wednesday, January 16th, 2019

Source: Graphic.com.gh

2019-01-16

First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the Mercks Foundation launched the Ghanaian version of a campaign in sub-Saharan Africa to raise awareness among communities about the need to re-examine the issue of preventing male and female infertility in couples .

Nicknamed "Merck More than a Mother Campaign", it aims to raise awareness and raise awareness about the need not to consider infertility only as a problem for women but also as a problem to which men contribute 50%.

The Merck Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Merck, a German multinational specializing in the fields of pharmacy, chemistry and life sciences. She launched the Merck Plus campaign that a mother in Namibia in May 2018, at the initiative of the sub-region.

Last Monday, at the launch of the campaign in Accra, the First Lady was appointed ambbadador "Merck More than a mother".

With the support of the First Lady through her Rebecca Foundation, the initiative aims to empower infertile women by giving them access to information, education and health and by changing mentalities. .

The initiative also helps governments define policies to improve access to regulated, safe and effective fertility care.

As part of the campaign, which is also in collaboration with the Ghana Fertility Society (FERSOG), the initiative will help address the need for interventions to eliminate the stigma of infertile women.

In partnership with universities and international fertility societies, this initiative will also provide medical education and training to health care providers and embryologists to strengthen and strengthen fertility care capacities in Africa and in Africa. developing countries.

Fertility experts

Data from fertility experts indicate that causes of infertility among couples were 50% of male origin and 50% of female origin.

According to experts, although these infertility problems could be resolved sooner, most people were later informed that infertility had already occurred.

One of the leading causes of infertility in men and women would be untreated infections, while 85% of infertility cases in couples are treatable.

Co-hosting

The First Lady and the Executive Director of the Merck Foundation, Dr Rasha Kelej, will co-host the sixth edition of Merck Africa-Asia Luminary in Accra from 29 to 30 October 2019 as part of the outreach activities.

In her address, Ms. Akufo-Addo revealed that "before attending the demonstration last year in Senegal, I was surprised to learn that". one in four couples in developing countries suffered from infertility ".

This, she said, was a very high prevalence rate, adding that "what has troubled me the most is that the majority of cases of infertility are due to infectious diseases, such as badually transmitted diseases, bad mutilation, abortions and unsafe deliveries.

These are mostly preventable. I am therefore delighted that the main goal of the More than a Merck Mother campaign is prevention.

In October 2018, the First Lady, 10 African First Ladies and 12 Ministers of Health were in Senegal to celebrate the first anniversary of the Merck Foundation and the fifth edition of Merck Africa Asia Luminary in Senegal.

The ceremony drew more than a thousand African health care providers from 58 countries who benefited from several medical education sessions.

According to the First Lady, "this year, our goal is to invite more First Ladies, Health Ministers and participants from more than 60 countries to come to Ghana to share their knowledge and experiences," said the First Lady. aim to improve access to equitable and innovative health solutions. "

"We are also working in partnership with the creative sector to fight infertility. As a result, we are collaborating with the National Institute of Film and Television (NVTI) and the Ghana Academy of Fashion to provide songs, films and innovative ideas to educate young people about fight against the stigmatization of sterile women, "she added.

Merck Foundation

Akufo-Addo congratulated the foundation, saying: "Indeed, our partnership with Merck has been very beneficial for Ghana."

Between 2017 and 2018, the Merck Foundation awarded scholarships to five Ghanaian doctors to enable them to take a one-year diploma course on diabetes and cardiovascular preventive medications in the UK.

The foundation, through its Merck Cancer Access program, has also offered Ghanian physicians an oncology research fellowship and oncology degree programs at Tata Memorial Hospital in India and Cairo University in Egypt. In addition, the Merck Foundation has trained many embryologists.

In her speech, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of the Merck Foundation, said that she had initiated a cultural shift to destigmatize infertility at all levels by raising awareness, building the skills of local experts, helping to reduce the risk of infertility. advocating for advocacy in cooperation with policy makers and supporting women without children to start their own small businesses.

The foundation, she said, was to give every woman the respect and help she deserved to lead a fulfilling life, with or without children.

Minister of Health, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman Manu, said that until then, infertility among couples was considered a taboo subject, but that today, people have become more aware of the problems involved.

He called on couples to look for alternative solutions because "science has overcome the problems of infertility".

Minister of State for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Mrs. Cynthia Morrison, has called on couples to consider the issue of adoption when infertility sets in.

She said her ministry was working to make adoption procedures less burdensome for those interested.

The president of the Ghana Fertility Society, Dr. Edem Hiadzi, said in a welcome speech that more men were currently experiencing infertility problems in marriages and presented themselves on treatment with their wives. .

He added that the "More than a Mother" campaign would help raise awareness to educate more people to understand and accept infertility issues in marriage.