Dr. Rasha Kelej and First Ladies of Africa and Asia Expand Healthcare Access on World Hypertension Day

Nairobi: Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, alongside First Ladies of Africa and Asia, marked World Hypertension Day by launching a significant initiative to enhance healthcare capacity in cardiovascular and diabetes care. This initiative involves offering 997 specialized scholarships to healthcare providers across 52 countries.According to African Press Organization, the Merck Foundation, in collaboration with Ministries of Health, Medical Societies, and Academia, celebrated the day as part of their Nationwide Diabetes and Hypertension Blue Points Program. The scholarships aim to provide young healthcare professionals with one-year online PG diplomas and two-year online master's degrees in fields such as Diabetes, Cardiovascular Preventive Care, Endocrinology, Cardiology, and Obesity Weight Management. In addition, there are one-year clinical onsite fellowship programs in Clinical Cardiovascular Care and Clinical Diabetes.The scholarships are designed to support doctors from various regions, not l imited to capital cities, thereby expanding healthcare capacity and improving access to hypertension and diabetes care nationwide. To date, Merck Foundation has provided over 2,600 scholarships in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties.Dr. Hazel W. Kariuki, a Merck Foundation alumnus from Kenya, shared her experience, highlighting how the scholarship strengthened her clinical knowledge and practical skills in cardiovascular and diabetes care. This opportunity has enabled her to enhance patient management practices and contribute effectively to healthcare services in her community.The initiative is particularly significant given the World Health Organization's data indicating that the African region has the highest prevalence of hypertension, affecting approximately 27% of adults. In addition to the scholarships, Merck Foundation has launched children's storybooks and animation films in partnership with First Ladies of Africa and Asia. These educational materials aim to raise awareness about hyper tension and diabetes and encourage healthier lifestyles among children and families.The foundation also runs a pan-African TV program, "Our Africa," which focuses on raising awareness about social and health issues. The program is broadcast on various national and prime TV stations across African countries and is available on social media platforms.Furthermore, Merck Foundation, alongside African First Ladies, annually launches awards for media, fashion designers, filmmakers, and musicians to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of diabetes and hypertension. These awards encourage the creation of influential content to deliver strong messages about health awareness, with a submission deadline set for October 30, 2026.