Merck Foundation has marked World Diabetes Day by outlining its diabetes care work across Africa and Asia, which it says rests on medical education, partnerships and community awareness. Its Blue Points Programme has provided more than 970 scholarships to healthcare providers from 52 countries.
Access to diabetes care depends on more than awareness. People must be identified as at risk, diagnosed early and supported to manage the condition, prevent complications and adjust their daily lives. The foundation says this requires healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to turn awareness into effective care.
Training Beyond Blood Sugar#
The foundation says diabetes care must also account for hypertension, cardiovascular risk, obesity, nutrition and hormonal health, all of which can shape a person’s health and care needs. Its scholarships cover:
- Diabetes
- Endocrinology
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Preventive Care
- Obesity & Weight Management
- Clinical Nutrition
These run alongside the Clinical Diabetes and Hypertension Fellowship Programme, which offers one-year online postgraduate diplomas, two-year master’s degrees and one-year onsite clinical fellowships. The foundation says these areas strengthen prevention and patient care, helping providers identify risks earlier, guide healthier lifestyles, manage disease and address factors that can lead to serious complications.
Reaching Beyond Capital Cities#
Merck Foundation works with the First Ladies of Africa and Asia, Ministries of Health, medical societies and academic institutions to expand access to medical education and respond to local healthcare priorities. The First Ladies, who serve as Ambassadors, bring advocacy and visibility to the work.
Ministries of Health and professional societies contribute knowledge of national needs and gaps in healthcare capacity, while academic and clinical partners provide the education. The foundation’s ambition extends to more regions, districts, towns and villages, including rural and underserved populations.
The foundation’s stated vision is to “turn the whole country blue”. It describes this as building a nationwide network of trained healthcare providers so that more people can access knowledgeable care closer to home.
Community Awareness Through Media and the Arts#
Merck Foundation also works with media professionals, artists, musicians, filmmakers and other creative voices to bring health messages into homes, schools and public conversations. Its initiatives include:
- The songs “No More Sugar” and “Life Is Sweeter Without Sugar”, which encourage healthier lifestyles
- The children’s storybooks “Sugar-Free Jude” and “Mark’s Pressure”, which have also been adapted into animated films and help introduce health messages to young audiences and their families
- The television programme “Our Africa by Merck Foundation”, which covers health and social issues
- Health media training and healthy lifestyle awareness awards covering media, song, film and fashion
The foundation says each format reaches people differently, whether a child watching an animation, a family listening to a song, a viewer following a television discussion or a reader of a journalist’s story.
How the Parts Connect#
The foundation argues that its components reinforce one another. Medical education strengthens the care available, community awareness helps people understand and seek that care, partnerships link both efforts to local priorities, and creative storytelling helps health messages travel further.
It describes this multisectoral approach as bringing healthcare, education, government, media and the arts together around a shared purpose.
The foundation says some of its most meaningful milestones are the first specialists it has helped train in countries, counties, cities or villages where that expertise was previously absent or extremely limited. It says these achievements carry a profound responsibility.
