Merck Foundation Marks ‘World Assisted Reproductive Technology Day 2026’ by Providing 800+ Scholarships of Embryology, Fertility and Reproductive Care in 42 Countries in Africa and Asia

What the report says

BusinessLine, carrying a Business Wire India release updated on July 27, 2026, reported that Merck Foundation marked World Assisted Reproductive Technology Day 2026 by highlighting its fertility-care training programmes across Africa and Asia. The foundation, described as the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, said the effort is being pursued with African and Asian First Ladies who serve as ambassadors for its “More Than a Mother” campaign.

According to the report, Merck Foundation said it has awarded 807 scholarships in fertility, embryology and reproductive care to healthcare providers from 42 countries. The total includes 365 scholarships for clinical and practical training in fertility and embryology, and 442 scholarships for postgraduate diplomas and master’s degrees in related fields such as sexual and reproductive medicine, women’s health, urology, clinical psychiatry and assisted reproduction biotechnology.

The release quoted Merck Foundation CEO Dr. Rasha Kelej as saying some alumni became the first local embryologists or fertility specialists in countries including The Gambia, Burundi, Guinea, Chad, Niger, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Malawi, Congo and Mozambique. The foundation also said it has provided more than 2,650 scholarships overall across 44 underserved medical specialties for health workers from 52 countries.

The announcement matters because infertility services remain limited in parts of Africa and Asia, and the report links the training programme to wider efforts to reduce stigma around infertility, especially stigma directed at women. BusinessLine reported that the “More Than a Mother” campaign also includes women’s empowerment initiatives, media training, children’s storytelling, television programming, songs and annual awards for media, film, fashion and music focused on infertility stigma and other social issues.