By Hamu Madzedze
Merck Foundation has marked the World Cancer Day 2024 by awarding 140 Oncology scholarships to doctors from 28 African countries.
The foundation through its Merck Foundation Access Program has provided these scholarships to doctors from Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon , Central African Republic , Chad, Ghana,Gabon, Guinea, Kenya,Liberia ,Malawi ,Mauritius ,Namibia,Nepal,Niger,Rwanda,Senegal, Sierra Leone , South Africa, Tanzania , Uganda,Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Chief Executive Officer of Merck Foundation Senator Dr Rasha Kelej said her organisation together with Africa's First Ladies are working together in increasing the number of Oncologist in Africa hence the awarding of the 140 scholarships to young doctors from the 28 African countries.
"We mark World Cancer Day 2024 under the theme "Close the gap" together with Africa's First Ladies not just on a specific day but everyday and year through transforming and advancing Cancer care in Africa by enhancing professional capacity and improving access to high-quality and equitable Cancer care throughout the continent"said Senator Dr Kelej.
She said together with the First Ladies they are making history through provision of scholarships for the first Oncologists and the first Cancer care teams in most of the countries across Africa.
"We are proud to be making history in Africa in terms of improving access to high-quality and equitable Cancer care"she said.
She added that Merck Foundation is committed to leading Africa to a better future through transforming the landscape of Cancer care across the continent.
"In some of these countries ,there were no Oncologist,therefore we are proud that we are making history in the continent through training the first Oncologists and first Cancer care teams in countries such as The Gambia,Sierra Leone ,Burundi ,Liberia ,Guinea Conakry ,Central African Republic,Chad and Niger" she said.
Merck Foundation Alumni expressed their gratitude to the foundation for awarding them an opportunity to be part of the Oncology training program.
Dr Mahamat Saleh Mahamat Baldass from Chad said through the foundation's fellowship program he is now the first Oncologist in his country.
"I have benefited from the one year Oncology Fellowship training which was carried out at Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai ,India and two of my colleagues went for a three months hands on training in Oncology Nursing and Onco-pathology" said Dr Mahamat Saleh Mahamat Baldass.
Another Alumni from Burundi Dr Sylvestie Bazikamwe said he is now working towards a new Gynae-Oncology operating table and training of the entire team so that they can offer various surgical treatment to patients at the earliest stages of the disease.
"We intend to focus on early detection and optimum management of gynaecological Cancers and l am also conducting educational awareness on gynaecological Cancers and their possible causes amongst my workmates at the University of Burundi"said Dr Bazikamwe
Merck Foundation is establishing Multidisciplinary Oncology and Care teams in many African countries. The foundation in total has awarded more than 1 700 scholarships to doctors across 50 countries in 42 critical and underserved medical specialities.
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