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Page 1 of 16 Merck Healthcare and Life Science Ltd P O Box 38554-00100, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 20 2714617 www.merckgroup.com Spokesperson: +254 711794 081 [email protected] News Release Your Contact: Grace Mukasa: +254 711 794 081 February 27, 2017 Merck empowers Ugandan infertile women for the second year through “Merck More than a Mother” in partnership with Uganda Ministry of Health Through ‘Empowering Berna’ project, “Merck More than a Mother” empowers infertile women socially and economically. Merck More than a Motheraims to improve access to information, education, healthcare and change of mind-set to break the stigma around infertility. Kampala, Uganda, February 27, 2017 Merck, a leading science and technology company, today continues their commitment for the second year to empower infertile women in Uganda through improving access to information, health, change of mind-set and economic empowerment. Through “Empowering Berna”, Merck in partnership with Uganda Ministry of Health inaugurates today small businesses that been established this year to support infertile women across the country.

News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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Page 1: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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Merck Healthcare and Life Science Ltd P O Box 38554-00100, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 20 2714617 www.merckgroup.com

Spokesperson: +254 711794 081 [email protected]

News Release Your Contact:

Grace Mukasa: +254 711 794 081

February 27, 2017

Merck empowers Ugandan infertile women for the

second year through “Merck More than a Mother” in partnership with Uganda Ministry of Health

Through ‘Empowering Berna’ project, “Merck More than a Mother”

empowers infertile women socially and economically.

“Merck More than a Mother” aims to improve access to

information, education, healthcare and change of mind-set to break

the stigma around infertility.

Kampala, Uganda, February 27, 2017 – Merck, a leading science and technology

company, today continues their commitment for the second year to empower

infertile women in Uganda through improving access to information, health,

change of mind-set and economic empowerment.

Through “Empowering Berna”, Merck in partnership with Uganda Ministry of Health

inaugurates today small businesses that been established this year to support

infertile women across the country.

Page 2: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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Dr. Belen Garijo, CEO, Merck Healthcare encouraging infertile women who have

been empowered through “Merck More than a Mother’s” ‘Empowering Berna’ Project in Tororo, Uganda as Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare

(second left) and Hon. Sarah Opendi, Minister State for Health, Uganda look on.

Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck

Healthcare emphasized: “I believe in women empowerment and especially

childless women - they are mistreated and discriminated in many cultures for

being unable to have children and start a family. Empowering these women

through access to information, health, and change of mind set to remove the

stigma of infertility is needed. Through “Merck More than a Mother” we are

supporting this strong message together with our partners and we will continue

our commitment to improve access to regulated and effective fertility care in

Africa.”

Page 3: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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Courtesy call on Uganda’s First Lady: From left to right: Hon. Sarah Opendi, Minister of State for Health, Uganda; Hon. Joyce Lay, Member of Parliament,

Kenya; Dr. Belen Garijo, CEO, Merck Healthcare; H.E. Madame Brigitte Touadera,

First Lady Central African Republic; H.E. Madam Janet Museveni, First Lady,

Republic of Uganda; Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare; Hon.

Virginie Baiokua, Minister of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation, Central

African Republic; Hon. Zuliatu Cooper, Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation,

Sierra Leone and Lina Ekomo, Central African Republic.

The day’s program also included a courtesy visit to Uganda’s First Lady H.E. Janet

Museveni at State House, Kampala by the Merck delegation to brief her on the

“Merck More than a Mother” initiative and to explore possible areas of

collaboration. The delegation consisted of H.E. Madame Brigitte Touadera, First

Lady, Central African Republic; Sarah Opendi, Minister of State for Health,

Uganda; Belen Garijo, CEO, Merck Healthcare; Virginie Baiokua, Minister of Social

Affairs and National Reconciliation, Central African Republic; Zuliatu Cooper,

Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone; Joyce Lay, Member of

Parliament, Kenya; Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare; and

Lina Ekomo, Central African Republic.

Page 4: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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From left to right: Dr. Anthony Mbonye, Director of Health Services, Ministry of

Health, Uganda; Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare; Hon.

Sarah Opendi, Minister of State for Health, Uganda; H.E. Madame Brigitte

Touadera, First Lady, Central African Republic; Hon. Zuliatu Cooper, Deputy

Minister of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone and Hon. Virginie Baiokua (2nd row

center), Minister of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation, Central African

Republic.

“In Africa including Uganda, infertile women still suffer discrimination, stigma and

ostracism. More often an inability to have a child or to become pregnant results in

the woman being greatly isolated, disinherited or assaulted. This sometimes also

results in divorce or physical and psychological violence. I am glad to see an

initiative that addresses this challenge in the public domain in Africa as it is

something that no one talks about and is treated as secret. “Merck More than a

Mother” is therefore very important for Africa since it aims to define interventions

to reduce the stigma and social suffering of infertile women across the continent,”

said, Sarah Opendi, Minister of State of Health, Uganda.

Page 5: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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Dignitaries meeting before the “Merck More than a Mother” event in Kampala, Uganda: Left to right – Dr. Belen Garijo, CEO, Merck Healthcare; H.E. Madame

Brigitte Touadera, First Lady, Central African Republic; Hon. Sarah Opendi,

Minister of State for Health, Uganda; Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck

Healthcare; Hon. Joyce Lay, Member of Parliament, Kenya; Prof. Joe Leigh

Simpson, Past President, International Federation of Fertility Societies; Prof.

Oladapo Ashiru, President, Africa Fertility Society; and Dr. James Olobo-Lalobo,

Vice President, Africa Fertility Society.

Madame Brigitte Touadera, the First Lady of the Central African Republic (CAR)

said: “I am very happy to participate in today’s launch another milestone of

“Merck More than a Mother” in Uganda as it follows the one we had for the Central

African Republic (CAR) last month and in Kenya yesterday. As the champion for

the initiative in CAR and for Francophone Africa, I acknowledge the social suffering

infertile women go through and the role that “Merck More than a Mother” is

playing to eliminate this suffering and stigmatization by raising awareness about

infertility prevention, male infertility and the necessity of a team approach to

family building among couples which is very critical for Africa.”

Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare explained: “Empowering those

women across Ugandan rural villages was very essential, those women suffered

Page 6: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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great deal of discrimination, violence and isolation. Moreover meeting community

members and leaders there to emphasize the importance to change their

perception of infertility and infertile women in specific was very productive. I have

witnessed firsthand the instant change of their mind-set and the transformation of

those vulnerable childless women to strong, proud and productive community

members.”

Brian and Sawuiya Ntongo (2nd right) a couple from Uganda shares their

experience with infertility and how they overcome it together through a shared

responsibility as Hon. Sarah Opendi, Minister of State for Health, Uganda; Hon.

Joyce Lay, Member of Parliament, Kenya; Dr. Belen Garijo, CEO, Merck Healthcare

and Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare look on and admire the

baby born after both of them sought fertility care as a couple.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), lower levels of development

are thought to be associated with higher levels of non-genetic and preventable

causes of infertility such as poor nutrition, untreated sexually transmitted

infections (STIs), unsafe abortion, consequence of infections caused by the

practice of female genital mutilation, exposure to smoking and to leaded petrol

and other environmental pollutants. Hence prevention awareness is very

important,” Sarah Opendi added.

Page 7: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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H.E. Madame Brigitte Touadera, First Lady Central African Republic and Hon.

Sarah Opendi, Minister of State for Health, Uganda address participants in Tororo,

Uganda during the inauguration of businesses for infertile women established with

support from “Merck More than a Mother’s” ‘Empowering Berna’ Project.

“The businesses established by “Empowering Berna” project are benefitting over

800 women in many districts in Uganda who have come together in groups and

have been trained and supported to establish bakery, catering and tent hire

businesses and more. They are currently able to earn an income to support

themselves from their own new businesses - they are now ‘more than mothers,’”

Rasha Kelej added.

Page 8: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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Right to left: Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare; H.E. Madame

Brigitte Touadera, First Lady, Central African Republic; Dr. Belen Garijo, CEO,

Merck Healthcare and Hon. Sarah Opendi, Minister of State for Health, Uganda cut

a ribbon to signify the inauguration of the chairs, tables and tent hire business

established for one of infertile women’s group in Tororo, Uganda through “Merck More than a Mother’s” ‘Empowering Berna’ Project.

Over 1,000 infertile women in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, CAR,

Ethiopia, Liberia and Cote D’Ivoire who can no longer be treated have been

empowered socially and economically to lead independent and happier lives

through “Empowering Berna”.

The event in Uganda was attended by policy makers including ministers and

fertility experts and included: Sarah Opendi, Minister of State of Health, Uganda;

Zuliatu Cooper, Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone; Virginie

Baikoua, Minister of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation, CAR; Joyce Lay,

Member of Parliament, Kenya; Oladapo Ashiru, President of Africa Fertility Society;

Joe Simpson, Past President, International Federation of Fertility Societies; Paul Le

Roux, President of Southern African Society of Reproductive Medicine and

Gynaecological Endoscopy; Kamini Rao, Chair International Institute for Training &

Page 9: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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Research in Reproductive Health, India; and Mohamed Kamal, President of Future

Assured Foundation, Nigeria.

Maria Nabaggala, a researcher at Infectious Diseases Institute, Uganda, the 4th

place winner, of 2016 UNESCO-Merck Africa Research Summit ‘Best African Women Researcher Award’ is awarded at home by Dr. Belen Garijo, CEO Merck Healthcare; and Hon. Sarah Opendi, Minister of State of Health, Uganda as Dr.

Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare looks on. The 2016 UNESCO-

Merck Africa Research Summit was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where Maria was

first awarded.

Page 10: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare, engages with religious

leaders in Tororo, Uganda on how they can support the fight against the

stigmatization and discrimination of infertile women in their communities.

Watch videos below of Ugandan women who are infertile and have been supported

to start their own businesses through “Merck More than a Mother’s” Empowering

Berna Project.

https://youtu.be/NwptKwSagzg

Merck More Than a Mother with Ugandan Women

Page 11: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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https://youtu.be/Ir_9SclIycs Merck More Than a Mother with Atieno Petwa

Merck More Than a Mother with Aketcho Mary https://youtu.be/Ryq11JwQcfw

https://youtu.be/NkSMaH0ZELw Merck More Than a Mother with Alow Manzeliana

Page 12: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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https://youtu.be/IQGafGwKJwg Merck More Than a Mother with Atieno Jennifer

https://youtu.be/oZWlm15fV5g Merck More Than a Mother with Auma Rose

https://youtu.be/4VrJGS93F5A Merck More Than a Mother with Apio Jessica

Page 13: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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https://youtu.be/K1066Po7S9Y Merck More Than a Mother with Rose Nyagol

Watch below the video of a Ugandan couple Byansi and Sawuya and their battle

with infertility and how they sought fertility care together and got a baby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNwVZ5MkNN0

Merck More Than a Mother with Byansi Adrian Ssemugga and Sawuya Ntongo, couple from Uganda

About Merck Capacity Advancement Program- Merck CAP

The Merck Capacity Advancement Program (CAP) is a ten-year program aiming to expand professional capacity in developing countries in the areas of research and development, advocacy building, supply-chain integrity and efficiency, pharmacovigilance, medical education, and community awareness. It was established in 2012. Merck CAP signature initiatives include the following: Merck Universities Program, Merck Diabetes and Hypertension Awards, Merck Cancer Access Program, Merck More than a Mother and “Merck STEM Program for Girls and Women”.

Twitter handle: MerckCAP

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Facebook page: Merck Capacity Advancement Program

YouTube Channel: Merck Capacity Advancement Program

About Merck More than a Mother

The aim is to empower infertile women in Africa through improving access to information, health, change mind-set and economic empowerment. Please visit to www.merckmorethanamother.com for more information.

“Merck More than a Mother” Strategy and Objectives:

1. Create a culture shift to de-stigmatize infertility and to build respect and

understanding around infertile women in Africa.

2. Raise awareness about infertility prevention management and male infertility by integrating the topics into existing healthcare infrastructure, such as HIV, maternal health, and mother and child programs.

3. Education and training for African embryologists to build the needed

capacity.

4. Supporting policy makers to define artificial reproductive therapy (ART) policies to improve access to regulated fertility care.

5. Building advocacy and open dialogue and working closely with

governments, policy makers, parliaments, healthcare providers, fertility experts and the media to define interventions that will reduce social suffering and improve access to regulated, effective and safe fertility care in Africa.

6. Empowering infertile women socially and economically through access to

education and healthcare, and by changing mind-sets. For example, empowering women who cannot be treated by helping them to start a small business through the “Empowering Berna" project.

Twitter handle: MerckandMothers

Facebook page: Merckmorethanamother

YouTube: Merck More than a Mother

About Merck Cancer Access Program

Page 15: News Release Your Contact : Grace Mukasa · Speaking at the event, Belén Garijo, Member of Executive Board and CEO of Merck Healthcare emphasized: ³I believe in women empowerment

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Merck has started this program in Africa with two initiatives:

1- Merck Africa Medical Oncology Program

The first Medical Oncology Fellowship Program for Sub-Saharan Africa

held at the University of Nairobi, Kenya and at Tata Memorial Centre in

India, with the aim to increase the limited number of qualified oncologists

in the continent.

2- Merck More than a Patient initiative In partnership with cancer patients’ organizations across Africa, this will support women cancer survivors to establish small businesses in order to

re-build their independent lives and become productive members of

society.

#MerckCancerTips

Twitter: Merck_MCCP

Face book: Merck Cancer Control Program

YouTube: Merck Cancer Control Program

About Merck Universities Program

The program provides European accredited diabetes and hypertension management for medical undergraduates and postgraduates from African universities. It enables them to become diabetes and hypertension ambassadors across the continent, especially in rural areas. More than 17,000 medical students from Angola, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda have benefited from this program and we aim to reach 25,000 by 2018. Merck launched the “Merck Diabetes Award” and the “Merck Hypertension

Award” in March 2016 as part of the Merck Capacity Advancement Program for Africa and Asia with the aim to build a platform of diabetes and hypertension experts across the globe. Merck STEM for Women and Girls

Through its annual platform UNESCO Merck Africa Research Summit, the

Merck STEM program aims to empower young and women African researchers in order to prepare for the road ahead in Africa’s development as an international hub for research excellence and scientific innovation. Furthermore Merck has launched for the first time, “MARS best African Women Researcher Award” to empower women in the fields of Research and healthcare.

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Twitter handle: @Merck_MARS

Facebook page Merck Africa Research Summit

YouTube Channel Merck Africa Research Summit

Please visit www.unesco-mars.com for more information. To read more about Merck Capacity Advancement Program initiatives in Africa,

visit www.merck-cap.com and www.merck-africa.com.

All Merck Press Releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service. About Merck Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2015, Merck generated sales of € 12.85 billion in 66 countries. Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck, Darmstadt, Germany holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.