Health
Merck, IFFS Tackle Infertility In Africa
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Leading science and technology company, Merck, through its ‘Merck More than a Mother’, has conducted a high level panel to addressed infertility challenges in Africa, with a view to finding solutions to them.
The panel was set in partnership with the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS) at the opening ceremony of the World Congress of (IFFS) held in New Delhi, India.
The high level panel of ministers, parliamentarians and global fertility experts from IFFS and Africa Fertility Society highlighted lack of access to regulated fertility care and awareness about infertility management and widespread stigma of infertile women as some of the key challenges in Africa.
The panel called for increased efforts to improve access to regulated fertility care through the development of artificial reproductive therapy (ART) laws and regulations and to empower infertile women through access to education and information. They also supported the training of African embryologists and discussed different interventions to remove the infertility stigma and create a culture shift and change of mind set.
The high level panel including Sarah Opendi, Minister of Health, Uganda; Betty Amongi, Uganda’s Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and Chair of Uganda Women Parliamentarian Association; Julia Duncan-Cassell, Minister of Gender, Liberia; Joyce Lay, Member of Parliament, Kenya; Dr Patrick Amoth, Senior Deputy Director of Medical Services, Ministry of Health, Kenya; Prof. Joe Leigh Simpson, Former President of International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS); Prof. Richard Kennedy, President of IFFS; Prof. Oladapo Ashiru, President of Africa Fertility Society; Dr. James Olobo-Lalobo, Vice-President of Africa Fertility Society, Uganda and Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare supported the implementation of ‘Merck More than a Mother’s’ strategic objectives and interventions across Africa.
“The aim of ‘Merck More than a Mother’ is to empower infertile women in Africa through improving access to education, information and health and change of mind-set and in case they cannot be treated the campaign is empowering them economically and socially through ‘Empowering Berna’ Project so that they can be independent and re-build their own lives,” said Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare.
“In Uganda, between 15-20% of couples fail to conceive. The number of fertility clinics in the country to address this problem are few and expensive. Together with ‘Merck More than a Mother’ in Uganda we are creating awareness that infertility can be prevented and that to improve access, fertility care can be integrated into the already existing public reproductive healthcare services which will be cost effective as the infrastructure is already there. In addition we are building a hospital for Women Health where we will dedicate an IVF center to provide couples with affordable and effective treatment with the support of Merck to train the future staff,” said Sarah Opendi, the Minister of Health, Uganda.
“In our culture, a woman is always blamed for infertility. She carry’s the shame, embarrassment and tears in private. We need to create awareness by providing information and education on infertility so that both men and women can talk about it. ‘Merck More than a Mother’ campaign has opened discussions on infertility and is talking about solutions and interventions available,” said Joyce Lay, Member of Parliament, Kenya.
At the meeting Merck showed a few videos of African infertile women who shared their stories of suffering due to failing to have children and their transformation after meeting Merck more than a Mother team who helped empower them socially and economically.
Speaking on the need to create a culture shift, Julia Duncan Cassell, Minister of Gender, Liberia said: “We should look at a woman as more than a mother. It is not always the fault of the woman when there is no child, but in our culture it is. We need to speak out as both men and women can be affected by infertility. Violence and stigma against infertile women should not be tolerated. We need to change our culture, tradition, attitude and mind-set. These can be modified and changed. We hope the ‘Merck More than a Mother’ initiative can be extended to other African countries so that awareness can increase and know that infertility can be caused by many factors and that with the right information it can be prevented.”
“In the African culture, marriage gives a woman the right to property and land. When they don’t bear children they are disinherited and when they go back home there is also nothing for them. Therefore, empowering infertile women economically and socially as ‘Merck More than a Mother’ is doing is important because most of them have nowhere to go. This enables them to sustain themselves and with the information they are given they become change agents in their communities,” said Betty Amongi, Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Uganda.
Prof. Joe Leigh Simpson, President of IFFS supported the need and importance of building fertility care capacity in Africa. “We in high resource countries have an obligation to provide education, service and translate in the shortest period of time the advances that are being made in our labs to middle and low resource countries”.
“IFFS has an important role to support ‘Merck More than a Mother’. We agree that education is essential and that we will support the education and training initiatives necessary in Africa to develop capacity for infertility treatment,” said Prof. Richard Kennedy, President elect of IFFS.
“In Nigeria people who come into our clinics are afraid because they don’t want people to know they are taking fertility treatment. In most of these cases only women seek treatment for infertility and not the men. People prefer to seek help elsewhere and by the time they come for medical help it is too late. We are happy that ‘Merck More than a Mother’ campaign is being launched in Nigeria and in Africa to create a culture shift that will enable people to seek proper treatment for infertility and that there is respect for womanhood than motherhood,” emphasized Prof. Oladapo Ashiru, President Africa Fertility Society.
Dr. Patrick Amoth, Senior Deputy Director of Medical Services, Ministry of Health Kenya pledged support for the work that ‘Merck More than a Mother’ is doing in Kenya. “The Ministry will play a key role in developing policy and guidelines to implement the ART law to ensure standards and regulations are maintained to protect couples seeking fertility treatment from exploitation,” he emphasized.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The decision of the management of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited to adopt the strategy of placing the enrollee and customer at the heart of its operations has started to pay off.
The company was recently announced as Most Customer-Focused Health Insurance Company of the Year at the Customer Service Standard Magazine Awards 2025.
The recognition underscored the company’s success in translating its dedication into tangible enrollee satisfaction and superior market service at the Nigerian Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) landscape.
It also highlights the organisation’s dedicated efforts in streamlining claims processing, enhancing access to quality healthcare providers, and maintaining transparent, responsive communication channels with its diverse client base across Nigeria.
The accolade further serves as a powerful testament to the successful integration of digital solutions and human-centric service models at SUNU Health.
It positions the firm as a leader not only in providing robust health plans but also in delivering the supportive, personalized care that enrollees truly value.
“Clinching the Most Customer-Focused Health Insurance Company of the Year award is not just an honour; it is a validation of the core philosophy that drives every member of the SUNU Health team.
“We believe that healthcare is fundamentally a service industry, and our success is measured by the well-being and satisfaction of our enrollees,” the chief executive of SUNU Health, Mr Patrick Korie, commented.
“This award reinforces our resolve to continuously innovate and set new benchmarks for customer experience in the Nigerian health insurance sector.
“Our commitment to providing accessible, high-quality, and seamless healthcare solutions remains our top priority as we move into the new year (2026),” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has launched its first nationally representative survey on antimicrobial resistance to generate critical data to guide evidence-based policies, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen health system resilience.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to resist treatment, making infections harder to cure.
As a result, surveillance is essential to track resistance patterns, identify priority pathogens, and guide targeted interventions and with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, the initiative marks a milestone in the country’s public health response.
Nigeria becomes the third country globally to partner with WHO on a national antimicrobial resistance survey. having been selected based on the country’s strong commitment to AMR surveillance, its updated WHO Nigeria NAP 2.0, and readiness to expand laboratory and data systems.
Africa’s most populous country ranks 20th globally for age-standardized mortality due to antimicrobial resistance . In 2019, an estimated 263,400 deaths in Nigeria were linked to it—more than the combined deaths from enteric infections, tuberculosis, respiratory infections, maternal and neonatal disorders, neglected tropical diseases, malaria, and cardiovascular diseases.
Globally, resistant infections in tertiary care settings cost between $2,371 and $29,289 per patient episode, extend hospital stays by an average of 7.4 days, and increase mortality risk by 84 per cent.
The survey will see the establishment of a national baseline on antimicrobial resistance prevalence to monitor interventions, assess the distribution, burden (morbidity, mortality, DALYs, cost), and diversity of AMR across regions and populations, as well as contribute to the global target of reducing AMR deaths by 10 per cent by 2030, in line with the political declaration endorsed at the 79th United Nations General Assembly in 2024.
It also seeks to strengthen routine antimicrobial resistance surveillance, including diagnostics, sample referral systems, and laboratory capacity.
Using WHO’s standardized methodology, the survey will run for 12–15 months and cover 40–45 randomly selected health facilities nationwide. Patients with suspected bloodstream infections (BSIs) will be identified using standard case definitions, and blood samples will be analysed in quality-assured laboratories.
Data will be collected across all age groups, covering clinical, demographic, laboratory, financial, and outcome indicators. Follow-up will occur at discharge, 28 days, and three months post-infection. The survey will sample approximately 35,000 patients suspected of BSIs to obtain around 800 isolates of the most common pathogens.
Dr Tochi Okwor, Acting Head, Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said, “With WHO’s support, we are confident the survey will generate the evidence needed to protect public health.”
WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Ursu, reaffirmed WHO’s commitment stating that ,“Nigeria is taking a decisive step toward combating AMR with an approach grounded in data, science, and measurable impact. This survey will provide the clarity needed to drive smarter policies, stronger surveillance, and better patient outcomes. Nigeria is laying the foundations for a resilient health system, one that protects lives, strengthens trust, and ensures that essential medicines remain effective for future generations.”
Adding her input, Dr Laetitia Gahimbare, Technical Officer at WHO Regional Office for Africa, added:“Strengthening surveillance enhances Nigeria’s capacity to detect and respond to AMR threats, supporting better patient outcomes, reinforcing health security, and building a resilient system.”
Professor Babatunde Ogunbosi, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist at University College Hospital, Ibadan, highlighted the broader impact:, “This survey is about more than data. It’s about building national capacity for research, diagnostics, and policy. It integrates science into public health decision-making.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
One of the leading Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) in Nigeria, SUNU Health, has said its philosophy is proactive wellness, noting that this was why it recently partnered with The Divine Physician and St. Luke Catholic Chaplaincy Centre for a community health initiative.
The chief executive of the company, Dr Patrick Korie, said, “SUNU Health’s vision extends far beyond merely offering health packages and insurance.”
“We are fundamentally interested in proactive wellness—preventing illness rather than just treating it. This annual exercise is a crucial part of that commitment, and we will continue to champion it for as long as we exist,” he stressed.
The medical practitioner led the company’s annual Health Walk in Lagos on Saturday, November 8, 2025. The event drew hundreds of health enthusiasts, including the Chaplain of the centre, Rev Fr. John Okoria SJ.
His active participation reinforced the spiritual and moral commitment to holistic well-being, proving crucial in mobilizing staff and community members, thereby ensuring the vital wellness message reached a broad and deeply engaged audience.
The health walk covered several major streets in Lagos, starting from Ishaga Road and navigating through Itire Road, Randle Avenue, Akerele, Ogunlana Drive, and Workers Street before concluding back at the starting point. Following the vigorous walk, participants engaged in a session of high-energy aerobics and other outdoor exercises, reinforcing the day’s focus on fitness.
“We are delighted to champion this vital health initiative alongside the Catholic Chaplaincy Centre LUTH/CMUL. The turnout was truly delightful, reflecting the community’s deep desire to embrace wellness.
“Collaborations like this amplify our message and commitment to the Nigerian community,” the Brand and Corporate Communications Lead at SUNU Health, Mr Samuel Olayemi, stated.
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