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 Merck Foundation committed to empowering girls, women

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• Dr Kelej (seated third from right) with some beneficiaries of Merck Foundation

The  Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Merck Foundation, Dr Rasha Kelej, has emphasised the foun­dation’s commitment to empowering girls and women.

This, she said was at the core of all initiatives and programmes at the foundation.

She said this in a statement to commemorate the International Wom­en’s Day, celebrated on March 8, each year and copied to The Spectator in Accra on Monday.

Dr Kelej recognised the immense potential of women to thrive, succeed and excel in any domain they choose, yet they often lack the conducive environment to fully realise their capabilities, especially in underserved communities.

“Therefore, together with our Am­bassadors, The First Ladies of Africa, we mark International Women’s Day every day since the last 13 years through our development programmes and initiatives such as ‘More Than a Mother’, ‘Merck Foundation Capacity Advancement’, ‘Educating Linda’, and ‘STEM Programme,” Dr Kelej said.

She explained that the “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” is a strong movement that aims to em­power infertile and childless women through access to information, educa­tion and change of mindset.

The CEO of Merck Foundation men­tioned that out of the 2,230 scholar­ships awarded across 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved special­ties, 1046 scholarships that is nearly 50 per cent have been granted to female medical graduates, empower­ing them to become future healthcare experts and leaders.

Also, she said the foundation believes that education was one of the most critical areas of women empowerment and that through its educational programme known as ‘Educating Linda,’ over 700 girls have been provided scholarships to contin­ue their education.

Dr Kelej also noted that the pro­gramme had also provided essential school items for thousands of school­girls in many African countries such as Botswana, Burundi, Malawi, The Gambia, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Namibia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cape Verde and more.

Merck Foundation, Dr Kelej said also actively empowers women in science and technology through its Science, Technology Engineering and Mathe­matics (STEM) programme.

“Our goal is to empower wom­en and young African researchers, enhance their research capacity, and promote their contributions to STEM,” emphasized Dr Kelej.

 By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu

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 Tooth decay cases rises in Tema

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• Visit dentist regularly to avoid tooth decay

 Dr Kakra Bonsu Appiah, Head of the Dental and Oral Surgery Department at the Tema General Hospital, says tooth decay has become the most common dental problem affecting residents of Tema.

Dr Appiah mentioned that there have been more patients reporting with cavities, tooth­aches, and other compli­cations linked to poor oral hygiene.

He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that tooth de­cay was caused by the breakdown of the tooth’s structure due to acids produced by bacteria in the mouth, which thrive on sugary foods and poor brushing habits, making good oral hygiene practices essential in preventing the disease.

“The most common cause of dental caries is poor oral hygiene. When you look at how dental caries form, you will understand that poor oral hygiene is the leading cause of dental caries; it is about leaving food debris around the teeth,” he stated.

Dr Appiah explained that many of the cases presented at the hospital could have been avoided through regular brushing, proper diet, and timely dental check-ups, emphasising that maintaining oral health was not just about having clean teeth but also plays a critical role in overall well-being.

He advised residents to brush their teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss regularly to remove food particles between teeth, and reduce the intake of sugary snacks and drinks, as well as visit the dentist twice a year.

The dentist also expressed concern that people only visited the hospital when the pain became unbearable, urging Ghanaians to visit the dentist regularly to prevent emergencies.

Dr Appiah further appealed to parents to educate children on good oral hygiene practices from an early age and reduce their intake of sugary foods. —GNA

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Cake Tekniks holds 59th graduation ceremony

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About 30 students on Sunday graduated from the 59th gradua­tion ceremony of Cake Tekniks In­ternational, a privately-owned modern cake designing and sugar craft school in Accra.

During the ceremony, all gradu­ates were presented with certifi­cates while 13 of them also re­ceived professional diploma.

The founder of Cake Tekniks International, Mrs Jane Addo, said her outfit was dedicated to pro­viding world standard skills, knowledge and hands-on training necessary for one to succeed worldwide in the culinary industry.

Mrs Jane Addo addressing students and guests at the ceremony

She encouraged the students to embrace the opportunities, challenges and experiences, mindful of the fact that they are well-equipped.

“Hold your heads up while you build a goodwill between your clients and your­selves,” she added.

Mrs Addo said the school was pas­sionate about fostering the culture of creativity, motivation and excellence with the belief that every student had the potential to make a lasting impact in the culinary world.

The founder and leader of QA Con­sult, Mr Johnson Opoku-Boateng, said graduation was a witness to the unveil­ing of talents, passion and hard work and testament to months of dedication and hands-on-learning.

He urged the graduands to ensure that their cakes were safe and good for human health and that their success would be dependent on how well they serve, create and grow.

The event also saw the exhibition of cakes and pastries by the students.

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 Volta College Foundation donates GH¢9,000 to 9-yr-old fire victim

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Some members of the foundation with Mr Dumevi and a staff of the hospital
Some members of the foundation with Mr Dumevi and a staff of the hospital

 A delegation from the Volta College Foun­dation, a non-govern­mental organisation, has donated GH¢9,000.00 to the family of nine-year-old Victoria Atsoribo, who suffered severe burns in a fire accident at home.

The donation was made at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where Victoria is currently on admission and undergoing treatment.

Led by women’s or­ganiser of the foundation, Madam Mawulawoe Ame­dorme and Deputy PRO, Ms Rebecca Gollo, the delegation said the NGO launched a support cam­paign for Victoria, with the aim to ease the finan­cial burden on Victoria and her family.

Madam Amedorme said “thanks to the overwhelm­ing generosity of our members and the general public, we were able to raise funds to support her treatment and recovery.”

Receiving the dona­tion, Victoria’s uncle, Mr Bright Danquah Dumevi, expressed gratitude to the leadership and members of the foundation for their kindness and support.

He said Victoria was transferred from Marga­ret Marquart Hospital in Kpando to Korle Bu Teach­ing Hospital in Accra for specialised care.

According to Mr Dume­vi, Victoria was currently undergoing planned staged skin grafting (surgery) as part of her treatment.

Your kind gesture has made a profound impact on her recovery journey, bringing hope and joy to her healing process.

He said the contribu­tions from the foundation will help in taking care of Victoria’s bills, adding that “your support has allevi­ated a significant portion of the financial burden associated with her treat­ment, allowing her family to focus on her recovery.

He also appealed to the general public, be­nevolent individuals, and organisations to continue extending their support to Victoria to aid her recov­ery.

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