Merck Foundation Strengthens Its Commitment to Expanding Access to Care in Asia-Pacific Region
March 13, 2024 10:21 am ET
RAHWAY, N.J., March 13, 2024 – The Merck Foundation, a private charitable organization funded by Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has made an $11 million, six-year (2023 – 2028) commitment to University of New Mexico Health (UNM Health) in support of its new initiative to bring high-quality care to an estimated 11 million people living with cancer in underserved communities throughout India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. The new initiative aims to train and mentor more than 33,000 local health workers and is being led by Project ECHO® at UNM Health, a global movement to democratize knowledge and expand access to best-practice care.
This support builds on a $7 million, five-year commitment the Merck Foundation made to UNM Health in 2017. Project ECHO used that funding to help improve access to high-quality specialty care for complex chronic conditions, such as hepatitis C, HIV and tuberculosis, and non-communicable diseases, like diabetes, in underserved areas across India and Vietnam.
The Merck Foundation is committed to advancing global health equity and will continue to support innovative initiatives that aim to improve the health and well-being of people around the world.
About the Merck Foundation
The Merck Foundation (Foundation) is a U.S.-based, private charitable organization. Established in 1957 by Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, the Foundation is funded entirely by the company and is Merck’s chief source of funding support to qualified non-profit charitable organizations. Since its inception, the Foundation has contributed more than $1 billion to support important initiatives that address critical global health and societal needs that are consistent with Merck’s purpose: to save and improve lives around the world. For more information, visit www.merck.com/company-overview/sustainability/philanthropy/.
Media Contact:
Robert Josephson
(203) 914-2372
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