Merck Foundation Awards Over 950 Scholarships for Cardiovascular & Diabetes Experts
Merck Foundation marked World Heart Day 2026 by providing over 950 scholarships for future cardiovascular, diabetes & endocrinology experts from 52 countries. The German not-for-profit organization partnered with First Ladies of Africa and Asia, Ministries of Health, Medical Societies, and Academia to launch the Nationwide Diabetes & Hypertension Blue Points Program.
According to Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, 'At Merck Foundation we mark “World Heart Day” by building cardiovascular and diabetes care capacity in Africa, Asia and Latin America.' The scholarships were for One-Year Online PG Diplomas and Two-Year Online Master’s Degrees in Diabetes, Cardiovascular Preventive Care, Endocrinology, Cardiology, and Obesity & Weight Management.
Merck Foundation has provided over 2,750 scholarships for healthcare providers from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialities. Dr. Husein Jivanji, a Kenyan alumnus of the program, shared that he was able to start a specialized cardiology clinic in the public sector after completing his training.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of NCD deaths in the African Region, with over 1 million cardiovascular deaths estimated in 2019. Merck Foundation launched community awareness programs in partnership with First Ladies to raise awareness on prevention and early detection of hypertension and diabetes.