Merck announces the winner of Merck Diabetes Award for UAE Watch medical students at the Dubai Medical University as they share their ideas on how to improve diabetes awareness in United Arab Emirates In April 2016, Merck Capacity Advancement Program recognized the World Health Day by launching the“Merck Diabetes Award and Merck Hypertension Awards” across more than 30 African and Asian universities with the aim to build a platform of diabetes and hypertension experts across the globe. In February 2015, Merck in partnership with Dubai Medical University invited all medical students to apply for the “Merck Diabetes Award” 2016 with the theme “Every Day is a Diabetes Day”. Watch video of the Merck Diabetes Award and Hypertension Awards event here During the event, Merck announced the winner who received the award in a ceremony attended by Belen Garijo, CEO of Merck Healthcare and members of the MAAP (Merck Africa Asia Platform), who included the Dean of Clinical Medicine Dubai Medical University, President of International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Africa, Vice President of Pan African Cardiology Society, the Director of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) of Indonesia’s Ministry of Health and the Member of Dubai Diabetes Guidelines. Students across African and Asian medical universities will be asked to submit a concept paper on how to improve awareness about diabetes early detection and prevention in their countries and how to encourage their society, scientific community, local authorities, media and relevant stakeholders to think and act on diabetes every day. The winner from each university will be provided with an opportunity to study for a one year postgraduate diabetes diploma. Merck has also kicked off its Hypertension Award for the same universities with theme “What the Healthy Heart needs”. The winner of this award will be provided with a one year postgraduate preventive cardiovascular medicines training in South Wales University, United Kingdom. Belen Garijo, CEO Merck Healthcare during the event in Dubai ”Merck plays an important role in building healthcare capacity in Africa, addressing NCDs focusing on rural areas, medical students and local partnership with academia, ministries of health, policy makers and governments,” Belen Garijo, CEO of Merck Healthcare and Member of The Executive Board of Merck emphasized. Dr Dima Abdelmannan, Dean of Clinical Medicine, Dubai Medical University lauded the ideas being submitted by students that are innovative and can make a change in the diabetes landscape in UAE Dr Dima Abdelmannan, Dean of Clinical Medicine, Dubai Medical University and Consultant Endocrinologist, Dubai Diabetes Center, DHA emphasized: “In recent years, we have seen a rapid rise in type 2 diabetes across all age groups. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is ranked 16th worldwide, with 19.2% of the UAE population living with diabetes. These statistics indicate that the region has high risk factors for diabetes, mostly related to rising obesity rates and low physical inactivity. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop accredited teaching programs and encourage people and relevant stakeholders to think and act on diabetes every day. I am sure Merck Diabetes Award will encourage our medical students to be creative in developing new strategies, policies and programs to encourage community members to think about diabetes every day”. "We are excited about the medical students’ application for Merck Diabetes Awards, most of their ideas were very innovative and can make a change in the diabetes landscape in UAE,” she added. Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer Merck Healthcare announces the award winners The Scientific Committee selected two applicants to receive the award. The first winner was Nujood Al Shirawi, a graduate of Dubai Medical University and currently an intern house officer under Dubai Health authority (DHA). Sana Laraib Daud and Zoubia Fathima receive their awards The second winner award was granted for an application submitted by two medical students in their 4thyear at Dubai Medical University - Sana Laraib Daud and Zoubia Fathima. Dr. Ahmed Reja, the President of IDF Africa and President of Ethiopia Diabetes Association and Chief of Endocrinology at Black Lion Hospital praised the innovative ideas from UAE students Dr. Ahmed Reja, the President of IDF Africa and President of Ethiopia Diabetes Association and Chief of Endocrinology at Black Lion Hospital emphasized: “We are very happy to partner with Merck to drive their strategy to build diabetes capacity and roll out the Merck Diabetes Award across the continent. The outcome in UAE was remarkable, it encouraged the students to be more innovative and take a leadership position to fight diabetes in their own country.” “I am confident that the students across the African continent will equally be enthusiastic to participate with their ideas and concepts to improve the access to diabetes healthcare solutions in their own countries” he added. Merck CAP is a 5-year program aiming to expand the professional capacity in developing countries in the areas of research and development, advocacy building, supply-chain integrity and efficiency, pharmacovigilance, medical education, and community awareness. As part of the CAP, in 2015, more than 9,000 medical students in partnership with African universities such as University of Nairobi, Kenya; Makerere University, Uganda; Namibia University and University of Ghana, in addition to Asian universities such as Maharashtra University, India and University of Indonesia benefited from European-accredited clinical chronic diseases management training, which is seeking to equip them with skills to better manage and prevent these diseases. Merck is planning to target more than 25,000 students by the end of 2018 expanding to more African, Asian, Latin American and Middle Eastern countries with special focus on non–communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer and fertility management. The program will also kick off initiatives on building research capacity and improving supply chain in order to improve patient safety in Africa. Medical students’ testimonies: Watch testimonies of University of Nairobi students on the benefits of CAP Through Merck Africa Diabetes Day ”Every Day is a Diabetes Day" initiative Merck aims to provide,300,000 community members with free screening and education about diabetes across the continent. The campaign has been kicked off first in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, India and Indonesia and will extend to more African countries. Merck has reached more than 100,000 community members up to date. The campaign is supported by social media and media campaign to raise awareness about diabetes. Merck Capacity Advancement Program Watch Belen Garijo, CEO Merck Healthcare at a Merck combined Cancer and Diabetes Awareness & Prevention Campaign in Kenya Watch Kai Beckman, Merck Board Member during the Merck Uganda Diabetes Day Every Day is a Diabetes Day Watch Merck Africa diabetes detection and prevention patient education tips in Kiswahili. Watch Merck Africa-diabetes detection and prevention patient education tips in English. Watch this video to learn about Zena Ali: a woman living with diabetes in Kibera, Kenya a massive slum in southwest of Nairobi. Zena is sitting on the side of a dusty street in front her hut selling vegetables. She tells her story calmly: "It started around three years ago. I felt weak, needed to urinate frequently and had a fever”. A doctor gave her some malaria drugs, but her condition did not improve. Not until she was examined in a hospital in Nairobi did she receive the correct diagnosis - diabetes. Zena was confused. She was born and raised in a slum. And she still lives there today, together with her husband in very modest circumstances. She asked herself how she could have a disease that otherwise only rich people get. Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare said that diabetes is still considered a disease of the wealthy and yet that is no longer the case “Diabetes is indeed still generally considered a disease of the wealthy, namely overweight, elderly people living in western industrialized countries. Africa, by contrast, is usually associated with the fight against infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis” Rasha Kelej, Chief Social Officer, Merck Healthcare said. Prof. Eligah Ogola, Vice President of Pan African Cardiology Society said the combined diabetes and hypertension education program will contribute towards prevention, diagnosis and management of these diseases and their complications Prof. Eligah Ogola, Vice President of Pan African Cardiology Society said during the event: “We are happy to partner with Merck to implement their Capacity Advancement Program focusing on Hypertension in 2016. This combined diabetes and hypertension education program will contribute towards providing guidelines and clinical practice for prevention, diagnosis and management of these diseases and their complications. The objective of this initiative is to increase the level of knowledge for medical students who will work in the near future with patients to help them prevent, understand and control the diseases across the continent”. Dyah Etri, Director of Non-Communicable Diseases, at the Ministry of Health, Indonesia speaks on the Ministry’s partnership with Merck to fight diabetes Dyah Etri, Director of NCDs at the Ministry of Health Indonesia emphasized: “We have worked with Merck on a diabetes strategy to improve awareness about diabetes early detection, management and prevention, we have conducted many awareness campaigns in public places to reach to people instead waiting for them to come to us and this was very successful approach. “In addition, Merck is providing education to medical and pharmacy students in University of Indonesia so they can be ambassadors for diabetes and hypertension across the country which is the 4th populous country in the world,” she added. At the end of April 2016, Merck Capacity advancement program will start its second year in Indonesia providing European accredited Diabetes and hypertension Management Program for medical and pharmacy undergraduates. Watch Merck Jakarta diabetes day “Every Day is a Diabetes Day” free screening for 30,000 community members with Prof. Frank Stangenberg Haverkamp and the Governor of Jakarta. Watch the MoU signing with the University of Indonesia to partner in building diabetes care capacity in Indonesia. Watch patients’ videos below to give you an idea about the diabetes environment in low income areas in Indonesia. “Merck Capacity Advancement Program and Patient Journey” Panelists during the event Merck Diabetes and Hypertension Awards mark another step in our commitment to working with governments, academia and relevant stakeholders in building healthcare capacity with a focus on non-communicable diseases in various countries in Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America,” Kelej added. Merck Capacity Advancement Program in UAE About the Merck Capacity Advancement Program (CAP) From Africa to Asia In addition to the partnership with University of Indonesia and other African universities, Merck has partnered with Maharashtra University to provide medical students in 18 medical colleges with European accredited clinical diabetes management Program, the educational program is augmented by community awareness across Maharashtra State. |