President Edgar Lungu has urged all first ladies in Africa who are actively involved with the Merck Foundation, to continue prioritising human capital development, through various capacity building programmes, aimed at supporting the work that the Ministries of Health undertake in their respective countries.

The Head of State said this in Lusaka yesterday when he officially opened a three day 2021 Merck Foundation Africa – Asia Luminary Virtual Conference, being hosted by Zambia.

The President said he is confident that the platform will help exploit partnership opportunities and introduce new frameworks for cooperation in the area of capacity building, for health care workers, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health in Zambia, Merck Foundation and other Ministries of Health, governments, Research and Healthcare Societies across the world.

President Lungu has further urged African Leaders and other stakeholders to focus on building the healthcare capacity, which includes training more healthcare providers in various specialties, in order to keep the African population healthy and productive.

First Lady Esther Lungu who is Co-Chair of the conference noted that Merck Foundation has been a long term partner in building capacity for health workers, towards improving access to healthcare, information and breaking the silence, stigma and discrimination associated with infertility.

Mrs Lungu said she is encouraged that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation still found time to meet with more than 2,000 participants from 70 countries to participate and benefit from the various medical and social educational sessions, which are all aimed at building capacity in the fields of cancer, diabetes, hypertension, fertility, women health care and research.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Merck KG Executive Board Professor Frank Stangenberg noted that the platform is an important milestone in transforming health care in Africa and around the globe.