Determined to enhance access to Cancer Care in Africa, the Merck Foundation has offered 194 scholarships in Oncology Training to African doctors from 32 countries.
The Merck Foundation will through the Cancer Access Programme provide training to the First African Oncologists and First Cancer Care Teams in Countries Gambia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Liberia, Guinea Conakry, Central African Republic, Chad, Burundi, Malawi, Niger, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and more.
According to the foundation, the beneficiaries will undergo One, two- and three-years fellowship, Post Graduate Diploma and Master Degree of oncology for doctors from Africa.
Merck Foundation says the scholarships are part of the foundation’s activity to mark World Cancer Day, and a collaboration with African First Ladies and Ministries of Health to build cancer care capacity and increase the limited number of Oncologists in their countries.
Rasha Kelej, chief executive officer of Merck Foundation, said the celebration of World Cancer Day is not just as a single day, but as the foundation’s continued commitment to transform and advance cancer care in Africa.
“Together with my dear sisters, Africa’s First Ladies, we have enhanced the cancer care capacity in the continent by providing 194 scholarships to young African doctors from 32 countries, significantly increasing the number of oncologists in Africa. We are making history together by providing these important scholarships for the first oncologists and /or the first cancer care teams in many countries across Africa.”
Merck Foundation in total provided more than 2100 scholarships to doctors from over 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties.
The Merck Foundation Cancer Access Program provides One, two- and three-year fellowships, Post Graduate Diplomas and Master’s Degrees in oncology for doctors from Africa. The clinical training has been conducted in India, Egypt and Kenya. Additionally, Merck Foundation also provides scholarships for 2 years online PG Diploma in Cancer and Clinical Oncology, 1 year online PG Diploma in Medical Oncology and 1 one-year online PG Diploma in Pain Management from reputed Universities in the UK like the University of South Wales, and the University of Buckingham, Queen Mary University of London, and Cardiff University.
Merck Foundation is establishing Multidisciplinary Oncology Care teams in many African countries by providing scholarships for clinical training in Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Pediatrics Oncology, Gynecology Oncology, Breast Oncology, Haemato-Oncology, Orthopaedic Oncology, Palliative Care, Pathology Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Research in Oncology, Surgical Oncology – Genital Urinary System, Advanced Cytopathology Training, Interventional Radiology, Radiation Technician, Laboratory Technician, Oncology Nursing.
Merck Foundation through its Merck Foundation Cancer Access Programme has provided 194 scholarships of Oncology to doctors from 32 countries including Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
“In several of these countries, there wasn’t even a single oncologist. We are proud to be making history in Africa by training the first oncologists and establishing the first cancer care teams in nations such as The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Liberia, Guinea Conakry, Central African Republic, Chad, and Niger. Merck Foundation remains committed to transforming the landscape of cancer care across the continent and leading Africa toward a healthier future,” explained Rasha Kelej.
Africa records around 1.1 million new cases of cancer, resulting in up to 700,000 deaths, every year, as per WHO data. The mortality rate of cancer patients is very high in Africa, as compared to the rest of the world.
“One of the key reasons is also the late diagnosis of the disease. Therefore, these scholarships are very important” added Senator Kelej.
Merck Foundation has also created awareness materials including awareness leaflets and videos on Cancer Prevention and Early Detection.
Chifundo Kajombo, Merck Foundation Alumni from Malawi shares, “I am privileged to be awarded a scholarship by Merck Foundation to pursue the Surgical Oncology fellowship training program at Tata Memorial Hospital, India.
I managed to advance from basic surgical oncology principles to the advanced level. This has helped me improve my understanding of cancer and operative principles.
Since returning home, I have managed to change the structure of how our breast clinic runs and modified it to incorporate several new things that we probably could not have possibly included.
I am so proud to share that I have just been awarded the Best Surgeon for 2023 in Malawi. I would not have achieved this feat without the Merck Foundation’s scholarship.
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