Merck Foundation Provided Oncology Specialty Training for More Than 80 New African Doctors From 26 African Countries to Increase the Limited Number of Oncologists in Africa

Merck Foundation to make history in Africa by training the first African oncologists and cancer care teams in The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Liberia, Guinea Conakry, Central African Republic, Chad and Niger. Mumbai, Maharashtra, India & Dakar, Senegal – Business Wire India Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany in partnership with African First Ladies and Ministries of Health, continue to provide one, two- and three-year Oncology Fellowship and Master degree for African doctors through their Cancer Access Program with the aim to increase the limited number of Oncologists across the continent.

Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and One of 100 Most Influential Africans emphasized, "Our strategy is to develop a Multidisciplinary Oncology Care team in each country such as; Medical, Surgery, Pediatric, Gynecology, Radiation Oncologists, Nursing, Pathologist and Radiology Technician. As an African woman, I am proud that we are making history in Africa through training the first oncologists and first cancer care teams in many countries such as; The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Liberia, Guinea Conakry, Central African Republic, Chad and Niger. Our main objective is to provide quality and affordable care to patients who never had anyone to care of them before." The First Lady of The Gambia, H.E. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW said, "I am very proud with this program that added great value to my country The Gambia, by providing specialty training the first oncologists in my country." The First Lady of Liberia, H.E. CLAR MARIE WEAH emphasized, "Merck Foundation is the first Foundation that provided this valuable specialty training to first oncologists in Liberia. They are also providing the training for the first fertility specialists, embryologists and diabetes specialists in my country Liberia.

In partnership with my office, Merck Foundation will also provide on line one year diploma and two year master degree in Respiratory Medicines, Cardiovascular Medicines, Sexual and Reproductive Medicines, Acute medicines and Endocrinology for Liberia and of course the rest Africa." Merck Foundation has provided one, two-and three-year Oncology Fellowship and Master degree for more than 80 Oncologists from 26 countries through their Cancer Access Program in partnership with African First Ladies and Ministries of Health of these countries. As per the data, the burden of cancer in Africa is growing with recent estimates reporting 1.06 million new diagnosed cancer cases per year. This figure is expected to increase by 102% to 2.12 million by 2040. While the burden of cancer in Africa is rapidly rising, there is a very limited number of oncologists and there is also a lack of investment in building professional cancer care capacity across the continent.

"Therefore, we strongly believe that building professional healthcare capacity is the right strategy to address this pressing challenge. It is an on-going initiative as the aim is to build cancer care capacity and we plan to scale it up to train more doctors in more African countries," added Dr. Rasha Kelej. Launched in 2016, the Merck Cancer Access Program provides One-, two- and three-years fellowship and master degree programs for African doctors in India, Egypt, Kenya and Malaysia.

Merck Foundation through its Merck Cancer Access Program has till date trained more than 80 Oncology Care Specialists from 26 countries which are: Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, DRC, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinee, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Please watch the Merck Foundation Alumni video: https://youtu.be/nd3SBdBpgQg Download the Merck Foundation App now Google Play - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.merck.foundation.googleplay App Store - https://apps.apple.com/no/app/merck-foundation/id1297299793 Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard Facebook: Merck Foundation Twitter: @Merckfoundation YouTube: MerckFoundation Instagram: Merck Foundation Flickr: Merck Foundation Website: www.merck-foundation.com About Merck Foundation The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality & equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare and scientific research capacity and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website. Please visit www.merck-foundation.com to read more. To know more, reach out to our social media: Merck Foundation; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Flicker.

About Merck Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Almost 52,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma. To View the Image Click on the Link Below: Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and Dr. Christina V. Malichewe, alumni of Merck Foundation and the first Medical Oncologist from Tanzania, with a patient. PWR PWR

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