Merck Foundation strengthens healthcare programs in Mauritius with 100 scholarships and new partnerships
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of the “More Than a Mother” Campaign, met with His Excellency Mr. Dharambeer Gokhool, President of the Republic of Mauritius, to review the impact of ongoing programs and outline future healthcare initiatives in the country. The meeting reaffirmed Merck Foundation’s commitment to transforming healthcare, empowering women, and raising awareness on social issues across Mauritius and Africa.
Since 2017, Merck Foundation has provided 100 scholarships for Mauritian doctors across 42 critical and underserved specialties. These programs have strengthened healthcare services in fields such as fertility, oncology, endocrinology, pediatrics, psychiatry, neonatology, ophthalmology, and internal medicine. Dr. Kelej also announced the possibility of expanding training opportunities in advanced fields including stem cell therapy, CAR T-cell treatment, robotic surgical oncology, and artificial intelligence in radiology.
Expanding healthcare and education in Mauritius
During her visit, Dr. Kelej met with the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Ms. Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, as well as senior health officials to discuss collaboration on innovative healthcare solutions. She highlighted Merck Foundation’s record of providing more than 2,280 scholarships to doctors from 52 countries, with many becoming the first specialists in their fields.
Merck Foundation also held the 4th edition of its Health Media Training in partnership with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare. The program trained Mauritian journalists on their role in breaking infertility stigma, promoting women empowerment, supporting girl education, and raising awareness about diabetes, hypertension, child marriage, female genital mutilation, and gender-based violence.
Launch of Merck Foundation 2025 awards
As part of its initiatives, Merck Foundation announced the call for applications for eight major awards in 2025, targeting media, musicians, fashion designers, filmmakers, and students. These awards include the Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition Awards “More Than a Mother,” Fashion Awards, Film Awards, and Song Awards addressing infertility stigma, women empowerment, and education. Another set of awards focuses on diabetes and hypertension awareness through creative advocacy.
Submissions are open until September 30, 2025, for the “More Than a Mother” awards and until October 30, 2025, for the Diabetes and Hypertension categories. Entries can be submitted via submit@merck-foundation.com
