Efforts to strengthen cardiovascular and diabetes care across Africa and other developing regions are receiving a boost through 956 specialized scholarships awarded to healthcare providers from 52 countries, as Merck Foundation marks World Heart Day 2026 with the First Ladies of Africa and Asia and its health-sector partners.
The scholarships provide healthcare professionals with opportunities to undertake specialized training in areas including cardiovascular preventive care, cardiology, diabetes, endocrinology and obesity and weight management. The programmes include online postgraduate diplomas and master’s degrees, as well as clinical fellowships in cardiovascular and diabetes care.
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Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, said the initiative is designed to build specialist healthcare capacity closer to the communities that need it, particularly beyond major capital cities.
The organization says that training healthcare providers from different parts of countries can help create local specialists who are able to contribute not only to treatment but also to prevention, early detection and health awareness within their communities.
The latest scholarships form part of a wider programme through which Merck Foundation says it has provided more than 2,750 scholarships to healthcare providers from 52 countries across 44 critical and underserved medical specialties.
The emphasis on cardiovascular and diabetes care comes amid a significant non-communicable disease burden in Africa. According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of non-communicable disease deaths in the African Region, while hypertension remains a major risk factor. WHO estimates that more than one million cardiovascular deaths occurred in the region in 2019.
Against this backdrop, Merck Foundation and the First Ladies of Africa and Asia have also developed community awareness initiatives focused on preventing and detecting hypertension and diabetes early, while encouraging healthier lifestyles.
Health education is also being directed toward younger generations. Merck Foundation and the First Ladies have introduced children’s storybooks, including Mark’s Pressure and Sugar Free Jude, designed to encourage children and families to develop healthier habits. The stories have also been adapted into animated films.
The programmes promote practical measures such as reducing salt and sugar consumption, exercising regularly, eating balanced meals and avoiding smoking. The foundation says that establishing healthy habits early can help children and young people make healthier choices later in life.
The initiative is also being supported through media and entertainment. Merck Foundation’s pan-African television programme Our Africa, conceptualized, produced, directed and co-hosted by Dr. Kelej, uses conversations with African creatives, health experts and other professionals to address social and health issues, including diabetes and healthy living.
The programme is currently broadcast on KTN in Kenya and TV3 Ghana and has previously aired on national and prime television stations in Burundi, Botswana, The Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zambia.
Merck Foundation and the First Ladies of Africa and Asia are also using creative industries to promote health awareness through their annual recognition and creative awards. The 2026 programmes include media, film and fashion awards focused on diabetes and hypertension, alongside a song award designed to encourage healthy lifestyles and awareness of prevention and early detection.
Submissions for the Media, Film, Fashion and Song Awards are open until October 30, 2026. The initiatives invite media professionals, filmmakers, students, designers, singers, musicians and emerging talents to use their work to communicate health messages to wider audiences.
For healthcare systems across Africa, the combination of specialist training, community awareness and public engagement reflects an approach that places prevention alongside clinical care, while expanding the pool of professionals equipped to address cardiovascular disease, diabetes and related conditions.
