Queenmothers advocate women’s health at Merck Summit
The Greater Accra Queen Mothers Association (GAQA) has commended the Merck Foundation and the First Lady, Lordina Mahama, for supporting more than 200 professionals in health and related fields to strengthen the country’s health system, as well as advancing women’s health.
It has, therefore, recommended continued collaboration among the Merck Foundation alumni, the Ghana Medical Association, the Ministry of Health and traditional leadership platforms such as GAQA to ensure the gains reach the community level.
The commendation was made at the 2026 Merck Foundation Ghana Alumni Summit held in Accra last Tuesday.
The summit was organised by the Merck Foundation in collaboration with the Lordina Foundation.
The event was held under the hashtag #MoreThanAMother, aligning with the two foundations' mission to uplift women beyond their reproductive roles.
Key insights
The summit brought together Merck Foundation alumni, media alumni and key stakeholders to showcase the impact of the foundation’s capacity-building programmes in Ghana.
Speaking on fertility care and reproductive health, a doctor from Lister Hospital, Dr Francis Agyekum, said specialists were now available in the Northern Region through the Merck Foundation training programme.
He said the intervention had reduced the need for women to travel to Accra or Kumasi for fertility care.
On HIV/AIDS management, Dr Elizabeth Agyari said the foundation’s training had enhanced her capacity to manage HIV/AIDs cases.
She said she had also shared the knowledge she had acquired with other health workers nationwide to improve treatment and reduce stigma.
Dr Elizabeth Ayem also shared her experience with cardiovascular disease and obesity among children and adolescents.
She said the training had equipped her to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases among the youth.
Attendance
The programme was attended by the President of the Ghana Medical Association, medical doctors with various specialities, legal practitioners, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, traditional rulers, students and health professionals.
The executives of the Greater Accra Queen Mothers Association were led by Nana Ampomsah Dokua III, the President and Paramount Queen Mother of the Osudoku Traditional Area and other representatives.
The GAQA pledged its readiness to partner the Merck Foundation alumni and the Ghana Medical Association to conduct community education, reduce stigma and encourage early health-seeking behaviour.
The GAQA’s participation reflected its commitment to advocating women’s health, reproductive rights and community wellness across the country.
