Dr. Rasha Kelej's Leadership Journey: Transforming Fertility Care and Breaking Stigma
Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, has published an article on her virtual Mentorship and Leadership Platform called 'Beyond Power; Leadership, Global Influence and Impact.' The platform is designed to inspire and guide future leaders, particularly women in Africa, Asia, and the Global South. In the article, titled 'Leadership Beyond the Obvious: How I Worked to Transform Fertility Care and Break Infertility Stigma,' Dr. Kelej shares her leadership journey in creating and driving the 'Merck Foundation More Than a Mother' movement.
The movement focused on building an ecosystem that strengthened local medical expertise while creating social understanding and acceptance for women and couples to seek and benefit from fertility care. According to Dr. Kelej, the approach helped create a broader culture shift alongside strengthening access to fertility care and building healthcare capacity.
Dr. Kelej personally visited communities across Africa, including rural areas, where she witnessed firsthand how infertility could become a devastating source of social stigma for women who were often blamed or isolated for conditions that may have had nothing to do with them. She also encountered cultural and religious resistance to fertility treatment in some communities.