First Lady Madam Sajida Mohamed departed for Dubai, United Arab Emirates, today to attend the 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit as Guest of Honour. The Summit will be held from June 18-19, 2025.

The First Lady is scheduled to deliver remarks at the Summit’s Inauguration Session and the Committee Meeting. These engagements will address pressing social issues, including breaking the stigma surrounding infertility, supporting girls’ education, promoting women’s empowerment, and strengthening healthcare capacities in fields experiencing skills shortages.

The Summit, which brings together First Ladies from Africa and Asia, will also review the progress of ongoing collaborations with the Merck Foundation since the 11th Edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary held in Tanzania last year. The First Lady participated in that event and has since been appointed a Merck Foundation More Than A Mother Ambassador.

In recent months, the First Lady has cultivated a close partnership with the Merck Foundation to advance capacity-building in key health specialities, particularly in infertility and embryology. She is also working with the Foundation to raise public awareness around infertility and the prevention of diabetes and hypertension.