The Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, has marked World Hypertension Day 2025 by reinforcing its commitment to building health systems capacity for cardiovascular and diabetes care in Africa and beyond.
The Foundation is working in partnership with Africa’s First Ladies, ministries of health, medical societies, and academic institutions through its “Nationwide Diabetes & Hypertension Blue Points Program.”
The initiative aims to improve access to specialist care by training health workers in underserved areas. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded over 2,270 scholarships to doctors from 52 countries, covering 44 critical and underserved medical specialties — including diabetes, endocrinology, preventive cardiovascular medicine, cardiology, and obesity management.
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of the Merck Foundation, said the organization observed World Hypertension Day by expanding access to quality, equitable care in conditions that are closely related — hypertension, diabetes, endocrinology, and cardiovascular diseases.
“Together with our ambassadors, the First Ladies of Africa, and partners such as health ministries and academic institutions, we have provided more than 860 scholarships for postgraduate and master’s level training,” said Dr. Kelej. “Importantly, these scholarships reach not only capital cities but also rural areas, where health workers are often in short supply.”
The Foundation offers one-year online postgraduate diplomas and two-year master’s programs, as well as onsite fellowships in India and short master courses in multiple languages, including French, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Dr. Dzifa Ahadzi, a cardiologist in Ghana and Merck Foundation alumna, said the training helped her consolidate her knowledge and establish a heart failure clinic at her hospital. “The program has allowed me to apply current advances in cardiovascular care in my practice,” she said.
Hypertension remains a critical health challenge across the continent. According to the World Health Organization, the African region has the highest prevalence of hypertension globally, with approximately 27% of adults affected. Many cases remain undiagnosed or poorly managed, contributing to preventable complications.
In addition to training health workers, the Foundation has also launched community awareness programs promoting lifestyle changes to prevent and manage hypertension and diabetes. These include initiatives targeting children and young people.
To this end, Merck Foundation has published a children’s storybook and an animated film titled Mark’s Pressure, developed in collaboration with African First Ladies. The educational content encourages children to adopt healthier habits such as reducing salt and sugar intake, exercising regularly, and avoiding tobacco use.
“I believe early education is key to building a healthier community,” said Dr. Kelej. “We aim to instill healthy habits in children and youth to reduce the long-term burden of hypertension and diabetes.”
Watch the animation film Mark’s Pressure here: https://apo-opa.co/45pQuid
