Mumbai, Maharashtra, India – Business Wire India • During the visit to the country, Merck Foundation CEO also met the Mauritius President to share the impact of their 100 Scholarships for Mauritian Doctors in partnership with Ministry of Health.

• Dr. Rasha Kelej during her meeting with the Mauritius President, strengthened partnership to improve access to innovative and equitable healthcare and Empower Women in STEM.

• Merck Foundation CEO Meets Mauritius Minister of Gender Equality & Family Welfare to Launch "Educating Linda" Program, Supporting Education of 20 Deserving yet Underprivileged Mauritian Schoolgirls Girls Until Graduation.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany met Hon’ble Ms. Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare during a high-level meeting, to share the impact of their programs and underscore their long-term commitment to address critical social issues in Mauritius.

During her visit, she also met H.E. MR. DHARAMBEER GOKHOOL, The President of Republic of Mauritius, to share the impact of their 100 Scholarships for Mauritian Doctors in partnership with Ministry of Health and underscore their long-term commitment to transform public healthcare in Mauritius.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of “More Than a Mother” Campaign, emphasized, “It was a great honor to meet Hon’ble Ms. Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare and share with her the impact of our partnership and programs since 2017 that aim to transform patient care, build healthcare and media capacity, to empower women in STEM, support girl education and raise awareness about social and health issues in Mauritius and the rest of Africa.

I am very happy to share that together with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, we are launching our Educating Linda Program in the country, as a part of which we will be supporting the education of 20 high performing yet underprivileged Mauritian schoolgirls, till they graduate. Through this, we will be empowering them to complete their studies and reach their full potential.” Merck Foundation has provided 100 scholarships for Mauritian doctors in 44 critical and under-served specialties.

“During my meeting with H.E. MR. DHARAMBEER GOKHOOL, The President of Republic of Mauritius, we also discussed the possibility of providing specialized training for Mauritian doctors in innovative and emerging fields such as Stem Cell Therapy in pathology, CAR T-cell treatment, AI in Radiology, Radiotherapy and Medical Oncology, Robotic Surgical Oncology, Neurology, Nephrology, Urology, and Neurosurgery. We are strongly committed to work closely with Ministry of Health to improve access to innovative and equitable healthcare solutions”, added Dr. Kelej.

The 100 scholarships for local Mauritian Doctors have been provided for One-Year PG Diploma and Two-year Master Degrees in many critical specialties including Fertility, Embryology, Sexual & Reproductive Care, Oncology, Preventative Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Acute Medicine, Respiratory, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Neuroimaging for Research, Sexual & Reproductive Care, Clinical Microbiology and infectious diseases, Internal Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Ophthalmology, Laparoscopic Surgical Skills, Critical Care, Neonatal Medicine, Psychiatry, Family Medicine, Advanced Cytopathology and many more.

Merck Foundation has so far provided more than 2280 scholarships for young doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved specialties, with many of them becoming the first specialists in their countries.

During her visit, Merck Foundation CEO also met the Senior Officials from the Office of Hon’ble Minister of Health, Mauritius.

Merck Foundation also conducted the 4th Edition of their Health Media Training for the Mauritian Media Representatives in partnership with Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mauritius. The training session was conducted to emphasize on the important role that media plays to influence society to create a cultural shift with the aim to address wide range of social and health issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, Stopping GBV, Diabetes and Hypertension awareness. It was co-chaired by Merck Foundation CEO and Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mauritius.

During the training session, the Call for Application for 8 important Merck Foundation Awards were announced for Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents in these fields.

The award announced are: 1. Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition Awards “More Than a Mother” 2025, in partnership with Media Trust Board, Mauritius: Media representatives and media students are invited to showcase their work to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.

Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.

2. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards “More Than a Mother” 2025, in partnership with Academy of Design and Innovation, Mauritius: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.

Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.

3. Merck Foundation Film Awards “More Than a Mother” 2025: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to address one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.

Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.

4. Merck Foundation Song Awards “More Than a Mother” 2025: All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to address one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.

Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.

5. Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”, in partnership with Media Trust Board, Mauritius: Media representatives are invited to showcase their work through strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

6. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”, in partnership with Academy of Design and Innovation, Mauritius: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

7. Merck Foundation Film Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

8. Merck Foundation Song Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

Entries for the above awards can be submitted to us at: [email protected] For information on the above awards, please visit our website: www.merck-foundation.com Click on the link below to Download Merck Foundation App https://apps.apple.com/co/app/merck-foundation/id1535584997?l=en Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard! Facebook: Merck Foundation X: @MerckFoundation YouTube: MerckFoundation Instagram: Merck Foundation Threads: Merck Foundation Flickr: Merck Foundation Website: https://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 & scientific research capacity, empowering girls in education 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. Follow the social media of Merck Foundation: Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, Threads and Flickr.

The Merck Foundation is dedicated to improving social and health outcomes for communities in need. While it collaborates with various partners, including governments to achieve its humanitarian goals, the foundation remains strictly neutral in political matters. It does not engage in or support any political activities, elections, or regimes, focusing solely on its mission to elevate humanity and enhance well-being while maintaining a strict non-political stance in all of its endeavors.

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