By Modupe Gbadeyanka
At a recently-concluded regional conference in Dubai, some Ministers of Health from Africa joined experts in the health sector to look into the fertility capacity building.
The event was put together by the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA, Germany, Merck Foundation; and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO).
During the ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ panel, the CEO of Merck Foundation, Dr Rasha Kelej, stated that, “Through ‘Merck More than a Mother’, we want to bring the healthcare providers, policy makers, academia, women leaders, media, and artists together to define the interventions to break the infertility stigma around women and to build fertility care capacity in Africa and developing countries.”
She further emphasized, “Merck Foundation is dedicated to empowering women who suffer discrimination and violence due to their inability to bring children, by creating the cultural shift to break the infertility stigma at all levels, not only in Africa, but in Asia, Latin America and everywhere it is needed.”
The high-level panel discussion included Sarah Opendi, Minister of state of Health, Uganda; Zuliatu Cooper, Minister of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone; Margaret Mensah-Williams, Chairman of National Council of Namibia; Dr Chitalu Chilugya, Minister of Health, Zambia, and the CEO OF Merck Foundation, Dr Rasha Kelej.
Dr Chitalu Chilugya, Minister of Health of Zambia, emphasized that, “Infertility is one of the major health problems in Zambia, and it is not only affecting the physical health but also the mental well-being and social status, of childless women. These women often become invisible to the society, and many times, they do not want to come in open to seek help because of the social stigma associated with infertility.
“Together with Merck Foundation, we want to remove the stigma associated with it by creating a cultural shift and building cost-effective fertility care in Zambia.”
During the panel discussion, Margaret Mensah-Williams, Chairman of National Council of Namibia, stressed, “Infertility is profoundly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, which is said to have an “infertility belt” wrapped around its centre, the infertility rate is much higher in southern Africa. Particularly in Namibia infertility prevalence rates for some ethnic groups is as high as 32 percent [1], or one-third of all couples attempting to conceive, which is why initiatives like ‘Merck More than a Mother’ are significant for Namibia and we are glad to partner with Merck Foundation for this initiative.”
Zuliatu Cooper, Minister of Health of Sierra Leone emphasized, “Merck Foundation is making history my country, they have trained the first two fertility specialists in Sierra Leone. For the first time, the infertile couple will be treated in their home land. We still need to build the first IVF centre to be able to manage complicated cases though.”
For the Minister of State of Health, Uganda, Sarah Opendi, “The journey that Merck Foundation has started is a very special journey that has touched the lives of women who have been forgotten in the communities. It has touched not only women but also the lives of men who have been mistreating their women thinking that infertility is an issue of women, not know that 50% infertility is due to the malefactor. I want to thank Merck Foundation for thinking about these women.”
Adedapo Adesanya 
Aduragbemi Omiyale