Over 180 doctors across Africa and Asia have received clinical and practical training under the Merck Foundation’s Embryology and Fertility Program for fertility specialists and embryologists, according to Merck Foundation
This initiative is also part of the “More Than A Mother” campaign of the foundation, which has trained doctors from countries like: Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, CAR, Côte D’IVOIRE, DRC, Congo Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malaysia, Liberia, Mali, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Niger, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, The Gambia, Togo, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In an interview, Merck Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Rasha Kelej stated that the program has introduced debut fertility specialists and embryologists training programs in some African countries.
“We are very proud that we made history in many countries where we trained the first fertility specialists and embryologists. These countries include: Divas, Chad, Nige, Central African Republic, Zambian, Malawi, Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Rwanda,” said Kelej.
“Through Merck Foundation’s Embryology and Fertility Program, doctors now appreciate the psychological and emotional stress that infertile couples face and the best ways to address their needs accordingly. Fertility specialists in Africa have been exposed to better ways of counselling their patients to ensure that they are emotionally stable while attending to their medical needs.”
Kelej said the training has significantly increased the numbers and broadened the understanding of African and Asian fertility specialists on how infertility clinics should be conducted to break the stigma of infertility, and encourages men to join their wives for treatment. She said the training is also a huge positive step towards raising awareness about preventing infertility.
She added, “The doctors we trained have taken an extra mile in their approach, the training graduates from Ghana and Liberia for instance, have moved into communities to educate people on infertility and the need to break the stigma around infertile couples and especially around women.”
The Merck Foundation has also supported the establishment of Rwanda and Ethiopia’s first ever Public In vitro Fertilization (IVF) centres. Meanwhile, Merck Foundation is still waiting in Uganda for the list of candidates proposed by the country’s health ministry to start the training programme.
IVF is an assisted reproductive technology in which fertilization is done by extracting eggs and collecting samples of sperm, and then manually combining egg and sperm in a laboratory dish.
“The IVF centres in those countries have recorded several stories and celebrations of first babies for couples who suffered infertility for over ten years. Such news gives us joy,” said Kelej.
She said that at least 1,400 couples have benefited from the less than a year old IVF sites in Rwanda and Ethiopia centres. Rwanda and Ethiopia each recorded 1,000 couples and 400 couples.
While the COVID-19 phase has made traveling difficult, the Merck Foundation has launched a one-year online diploma scholarship program and a two-year Master’s degree in sexual and reproductive medicines from the Universities of the UK. Kelej said that her foundation looks forward to receiving the majority of candidates proposed from each African country, and the program will extend to South East Asia.