Transforming Fertility Care: A Leadership Journey
Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, shares her leadership journey in creating and driving the 'Merck Foundation More Than a Mother' movement.
The movement aimed to transform fertility care and break infertility stigma by addressing the deeper social, cultural, and communication barriers surrounding the issue.
Dr. Kelej personally visited communities across Africa, witnessing firsthand how infertility became a devastating source of social stigma for women, who were often blamed, discriminated against or isolated for a condition that may have had nothing to do with them.
To address this, Dr. Kelej's approach was to work across multiple layers simultaneously, building medical capacity, creating a culture shift, engaging Ministries and healthcare professionals, and training journalists and media professionals to communicate about infertility accurately.