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
Over 500 residents of Ajegunle in Lagos enjoyed free healthcare services, comprehensive health education, youth mentorship, and community engagement activities at a one-day event organised by Queens Palm Support Initiative (QPSI).
This is part of the organisation’s Reach 1000 Initiative, deliberately designed to address immediate healthcare needs and empower individuals with the knowledge, resources, and support required to live healthier, more productive, and dignified lives.
QPSI is a non-profit organisation established by Ms Sabrina Ozma dedicated to advancing community development, healthcare advocacy, youth empowerment, leadership education, and social impact interventions across Nigeria. Fou
At the Ajegunle programme held at Bola Ige Millennium School, Tolu Complex, participants received a comprehensive range of healthcare services facilitated by accredited medical professionals, including general medical consultations and health assessments, malaria screening, diagnosis and treatment, blood sugar testing and diabetes awareness, comprehensive eye examinations and vision assessments, as well as specialist neurosurgical consultations provided by medical experts from Dukes Neurosurgery and Specialist Hospital.
Also, Reals Pharmaceutical Limited provided and distributed antimalarial medications to beneficiaries, ensuring continuity of treatment and improved health outcomes beyond the day of the outreach.
Ms Ozma, while speaking at the event, said access to quality healthcare remains one of the most pressing challenges confronting underserved communities across Nigeria.
According to her, interventions such as the Reach 1000 Initiative are deliberately designed to close this gap, not only by addressing immediate healthcare needs but by empowering individuals with the knowledge, resources, and support required to live healthier, more productive, and dignified lives.
Beyond healthcare delivery, the initiative featured structured health education and awareness sessions focused on disease prevention and early symptom recognition, personal hygiene and sanitation best practices, nutrition and food safety, healthy lifestyle habits, and the importance of routine medical check-ups.
In addition, a media personality and youth advocate, Ms Blessing Lopez, led engaging conversations around personal growth, confidence, and purpose-driven living, while entertainer Larry J inspired participants through discussions on resilience, positive decision-making, and the importance of becoming active contributors to societal progress.
The programme also attracted notable participation from government institutions and civil society organisations, highlighting the importance of multi-sector collaboration in addressing community challenges.
The Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, engaged participants on safeguarding, protection against domestic and sexual violence, and the importance of building safer communities.
Further, representatives of the Cleen Foundation facilitated discussions on crime prevention, community security, and the role of young people in promoting civic responsibility and the rule of law, while the Crime Prevention Partnership (CPP) led discussions on community-led safety strategies and citizen participation in fostering safer neighbourhoods.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The federal government has urged global investors and innovators to tap into the Nigerian healthcare ecosystem, which is projected to grow by 7.1 per cent, reaching a market value of $161.7 million by 2027.
This advice was given by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Mr Isiaq Salako, at the opening of the World Health Expo (WHX in Lagos 2026), formerly known as Medic West Africa, on Tuesday in Lagos.
The broader West African market is expected to reach more than $11 billion, providing investors with an opportunity to get a good return on investment.
“Nigeria is open for healthcare investment. We want platforms like WHX in Lagos to serve as a critical conduit for translating this investment ambition into tangible technology access for our hospitals and patients,” the Minister, who declared the event open on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, said.
He praised the organisers of the expo, which welcomed over 8,000 healthcare professionals and 500 exhibitors spanning 40 countries, for growing the programme into a vital catalyst for West African healthcare transformation.
Addressing the stark reality that between 85 per cent and 99 per cent of medical equipment and in vitro diagnostics in West Africa are currently imported, Mr Salako outlined aggressive federal interventions designed to dismantle supply chain vulnerabilities and skyrocket local manufacturing capabilities.
He also spotlighted key presidential directives, including the Presidential Initiative to Unlock Healthcare Value Chains (PVAC) and the Presidential Executive Order for the Pharmaceutical and Allied Sectors, both engineered to catalyse health security, drive economic growth, and generate employment through strategic private-sector collaborations and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
“Our commitment to improving access to modern equipment and technologies in hospitals is backed by concrete action. The government has inaugurated the $1.2 billion Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) initiative, a comprehensive overhaul addressing financing, workforce development, and infrastructure.
“Furthermore, for the 2025 fiscal year, the Federal Government committed N402 billion specifically for health sector infrastructure investment,” he stated, also highlighting an expansive health infrastructure upgrade program in partnership with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).
According to him, this phased initiative is actively delivering oncology and nuclear medicine centres across six tertiary hospitals, alongside establishing 22 modern medical diagnostic centres, seven cardiac catheterisation laboratories, and expanded radiology and clinical pathology capabilities distributed across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Also speaking, the chief executive of EHA Clinics, Dr Ifunanya Ilodibe, stressed the urgent need to support and unify fragmented growth within the healthcare system, noting that WHX serves as the precise ecosystem platform required to bring together policymakers, clinicians, and investors to move actionable strategies forward.
Also, the President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN) and Country Director of PharmAccess, Njide Ndili, said, “HFN bridges the gaps in health financing, opening up critical connections to achieve true health sovereignty,” praising Africa CDC’s historical intervention, particularly during the Ebola crisis and urged participants to utilise the WHX exhibition floor to forge collaborations capable of scaling locally produced medical equipment.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Mr Akin Abayomi, on his part, highlighted the enforcement of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act in Lagos State as a landmark regulatory milestone. The Act mandates health insurance for all residents, structuring the financial environment to guarantee medical protection across various socioeconomic levels.
Delivering the keynote address, the Special Regional Representative of the Director General of the Africa CDC Western Regional Coordinating Centre, Prof. Aliko Ahmed, called on leaders in geopolitical positions to enact liberating trade policies aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to shape the continental agenda, emphasising that the Africa CDC will fiercely prioritise building trust in locally manufactured healthcare products.
WHX in Lagos 2026 runs for three days, featuring accredited forums, cutting-edge product showcases, and high-level networking tracks designed to translate billions in public and private investment into immediate technology access for hospitals and patients.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The coroner’s inquest into the death of 21-month-old Nkanu Adichie-Esege, son of renowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, suffered a major setback on Wednesday after Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital informed the coroner’s court that it had obtained an order of the Lagos State High Court staying further proceedings in the probe.
The matter came before Coroner Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji at Court 9, Igbosere Magisterial District, Yaba, Lagos, and was scheduled for the commencement of witness’ testimony.
Counsel to Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, Professor Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), told the court that the hospital had initiated judicial review proceedings challenging, among other issues, the jurisdiction of the Coroner’s Court to conduct the inquest in the absence of the deceased’s body.
He disclosed that the High Court had granted leave for the judicial review application and ordered that the leave operate as a stay of proceedings pending the determination of the suit.
The senior advocate also informed the court that although the Lagos State Attorney-General’s Office denied seeing the originating processes from the High Court, proof of service was available.
Responding on behalf of the family, Mr Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) confirmed receipt of both the originating processes and the High Court order.
While acknowledging the obligation of all parties to comply with court orders, he informed the coroner that the family had already filed four witness statements on oath, including that of Dr Ivara Esege, as well as statements from independent medical experts from Nigeria and the United States, who are expected to testify at the inquest.
Mr Pinheiro urged the court not to adjourn the matter indefinitely, but to a definite date after the court vacation to enable parties to report on developments in the High Court proceedings.
He also highlighted the need for transparency and public confidence in the fact-finding process, saying, “He who is innocent does not fear an open inquest.”
Counsel representing Atlantis Paediatric Hospital supported the request for a definite adjournment rather than an indefinite postponement.
Following submissions by counsel, the Coroner adjourned the matter until October 8, 2026, for a report on the status of the High Court proceedings.
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