Beyond the lack of financial resources in Africa and other resource limited regions, the scarcity of trained health care personnel capable to exercise cancer prevention, make early diagnosis, and manage care at all levels of health systems, is an even bigger challenge. To address this challenge, the Merck Cancer Access Program was started by the Merck Foundation, a philanthropic subsidiary organization of Merck. The Program consists of three initiatives to improve cancer care at all relevant levels in numerous low and middle income countries, predominantly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The three specific initiatives are:

1. Merck Africa Oncology Fellowship Program: focusing on building additional capacity through medical education and training. By partnering with academia and ministries of health, Merck Foundation is providing one, two and three-year oncology fellowship programs to increase the limited number of oncologists and improve access to quality cancer care in Africa and other resource limited regions. So far, doctors from Uganda, Zambia, Ethiopia, Namibia, Tanzania, Ghana, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Kenya have enrolled in the Merck Africa Oncology Fellowship Program in partnership with the University of Nairobi, Kenya, Tata Memorial Centre, India and Alexandria University, Egypt.

2. Merck More Than a Patient: empowering female cancer survivors to reclaim their lives through activities for reintegration into society. “Merck More than a Patient” in partnership with “Women For Cancer” support women cancer survivors to establish their own small business so that they can lead an independent and productive life.

3. Merck Community Awareness: to bolster the previous initiatives, community prevention & early diagnosis awareness campaigns are conducted through medical camps and social media, to share accurate cancer information to help in tackling myths, misconception and stigma.