The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
Merck Foundation in conjunction with African First Ladies has facilitated scholarships for 650 doctors to undergo specialist training in cardiovascular, diabetes and endocrinology care.
In a statement to mark World Hypertension Day, Merck Foundation chief executive officer Dr Rasha Kelej said the doctors were equipped with skills to tackle non-communicable diseases.
“At Merck Foundation, we mark ‘World Hypertension Day’ every day by providing more than 650 scholarships of cardiovascular, diabetes and endocrinology care specialty training to doctors from Africa, in partnership with African First Ladies and Ministries of Health, and to doctors from Asian and Latin American countries as well,” she said.
“I am very proud to say that we have so far provided these 650 scholarships for medical postgraduates from 43 countries.
“Additionally, we enroll doctors for a three-month Diabetes Master course in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, so as to advance their clinical knowledge in tackling these non-communicable conditions.”
Merck Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, not for profit organisation that aims to help improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology.
Beneficiaries of the scholarships include doctors from Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda.
This year’s World Hypertension Day commemorations are running under the theme, “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control it, Live longer.”
