Merck Campaign Challenges African Stigma of Female Infertility

Merck More than a Mother continues its commitment to break stigma around infertility and empower infertile women by improving access to information, education, healthcare and change of culture and mind-set to de-stigmatize infertility.

The campaign launched in Nigeria was championed by the country's first lady, Her Excellency Aisha Buhari. The launch held in Abuja, Nigeria is in partnership with Senate Commission on Health; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and Future Assured organization.

Her Excellency Buhari pledged her support and the support of Nigerian Governors' wives�in the implementation of Merck More than a Mother's activities in Nigeria focusing on eliminating infertility stigma and creating awareness and providing information and education on causes of infertility; facilitating access to healthcare; and economic and social empowerment of infertile women.

The Nigerian women leaders also supported the empowering of infertile women who form a vulnerable part of the population. Infertile women in Nigeria and many other African countries who can no longer be treated have been empowered socially and economically to lead independent and happier lives through Empowering Berna initiative. Empowering Berna is part of Merck More than a Mother campaign.

Helen Phillip, a Nigerian woman from the North shared her story of suffering from infertility stigma and expressed her gratitude to the support Merck more than a Mother provided her through establishing new business so that she can become an independent productive member in her community.

"In Nigeria we have been advocating for the end of harmful traditional practices including the stigmatization of women which is prevalent all over the country. Women have not been coming out openly because they are traumatized. With this campaign we will encourage them to speak out and we pledge our support and collaboration," said Hon. Aisha Alhassan, Nigeria's Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development.�

"Merck More than a Mother campaign is a great initiative to break the stigma around infertility and to empower an unprivileged category of women in Africa, women who suffer infertility. Infertile women have been neglected, mistreated and discriminated because they cannot bear a child, yet 50 percent of infertility is due to male factors. We can together improve access to education, information, awareness, health care and change of mind-set and culture to stop these women's suffering," said Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare.

Prof. Isaac Adewole Hon. Minister of Health emphasized: "We are responsible for policy at the Ministry level and this is where we can make a difference in improving access to fertility care in Nigeria. We will work through training institutions we are responsible for to strengthen fertility management by making it a sub-specialty. We will also as a Ministry work with private sector, the Senate and the National Assembly to improve governance and quality of care to provide standards to protect infertile men and women seeking treatment."

Merck More than a Mother was first implemented in Kenya in 2015 followed by Uganda, Cote d'Ivoire, Central African Republic and Nigeria. Watch Nigeria's infertile women sharing their stories of social suffering of infertility stigma and their transformation after the economic and social empowerment provided by Merck more than a Mother through Empowering Berna project at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYpk2eCgARhxo0QjtZHpT_A