Africa: Merck Foundation to organize Merck Health Media Training to Break the Stigma around Infertility in Senegal and rest of Africa

Merck Foundation to organize Merck Health Media Training to Break the Stigma around Infertility in Senegal and rest of Africa

The training program is a part of ‘Merck More than a Mother’ community awareness initiative and is being organized for the first time in Senegal for the media representatives

DAKAR, Senegal, September 20, 2018/ -- Merck Foundation to provide training to media representatives from Senegal Merck Foundation to Call for Application for ‘Merck More than a Mother’ Media Recognition Awards 2018 Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany will organize the Merck Health Media Training on 31st of October 2018 at Le Centre International de conferences Abdou DIOUF (CICAD) in Dakar, Senegal from 11:00 to 17:30. The training program is a part of ‘Merck More than a Mother’ community awareness initiative and is being organized for the first time in Senegal for the media representatives. “I am delighted to initiate this important training session as I strongly believe that media plays a significant to influence our society to create a cultural shift. It has the capacity and ability to break the stigma around infertility in the community”, explained Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck More than a Mother. The training will be addressed by stalwarts of Media and top Infertility experts. It will also provide a great opportunity for the journalists to meet the experts and also to network with each other and work as a unit to eradicate the stigma around infertility in Senegal and rest of Africa. It will be attended by journalists working for Print, TV, Radio and Online media. “The Merck Health Media Training program will focus on the international standards and media ethics for reporting sensitive issues like infertility in Africa. It is designed to benefit the journalists in understanding the infertility issues in African communities and to learn the best media practices to cover such issues.” Dr. Rasha Kelej added. The journalists from Dakar, Senegal can apply to be part of the Merck Health Media Training through this link: www.Merck-Foundation.com/Merck_health_media_training_form. Merck Foundation will also announce the Call for Application for “Merck More than a Mother” ‘Media Recognition Awards’ 2018 from Senegal and rest of Africa. The “Merck More than a Mother” ‘Media Recognition Awards’ were launched in 2017 with the aim to emphasize the role of media in enhancing the public engagement and understanding of infertility stigma and the need to change its social perception in African communities. The winners were awarded at an award ceremony conducted earlier this year in Nairobi, Kenya. The Merck Health Media Training is be organized on the side-lines of Fifth Edition of “MERCK AFRICA ASIA LUMNIARY” being organized in Dakar, Senegal on the 30th & 31st of October 2018, under the patronage of The President of The Republic of Senegal, H.E. MACKY SALL and The First Lady of Senegal, H.E. MARIEME FAYE SALL, and in partnership with the Ministry of Health of Senegal. It will be attended by more than 450 healthcare providers, policy makers, academia and researchers from over 45 English and French speaking African and Asian countries. The objective is to improve disease management, early detection and prevention, build healthcare and scientific research capacity and improve access to innovative and equitable healthcare solutions across the continent. Merck Foundation conducted its First Health Media Training for English speaking media representatives earlier this year in Nairobi. The program saw attendance from journalists from over 200 journalists from various African countries like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Gambia, Namibia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Ethiopia, Botswana, Liberia, Cameroon, Burundi, Malawi, Mauritius, Zambia and Sierra Leona. Merck Foundation will also organize a similar training program for media representatives from French speaking countries in Mauritius in December 2018.