The Global Mercy, the world’s largest civilian hospital ship, has returned to Freetown, Sierra Leone, for its third consecutive field service.
Operated by the international NGO Mercy Ships, the vessel’s ten-month stay deepens its partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone to provide free surgeries and enhance the country’s healthcare system through extensive training for local professionals.
The ship’s return follows a brief maintenance period in Spain. In collaboration with national and local authorities, it will provide specialized surgical care and training in areas including maxillofacial/head and neck, pediatric, orthopedics, plastic reconstructive, general, and ophthalmic surgery.
Since 2023, the Global Mercy has performed more than 3,630 free surgeries for over 3,240 individuals. Mercy Ships’ Education, Training, and Advocacy (ETA) programs are also a key component of the mission, with more than 63,000 hours of training delivered to over 290 Sierra Leonean healthcare professionals to date.
Dr. Austin Demby, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health, underscored the value of the partnership, stating, “Mercy Ships is doing two critical things for us: number one, it’s delivering a much-needed surgical service for the people of this country. Number two, it’s helping train our healthcare workers… As a government, we’re extremely pleased. We’re extremely grateful for it.”
Suzanne Thomas, Director of Education, Training, and Advocacy for Mercy Ships, emphasized the long-term vision of the program. “We are delighted to offer more learning opportunities on board the Global Mercy and look forward to continuing our support for service development at Connaught Hospital and accredited training for essential professions through the University of Sierra Leone,” she said.
Dr. Sandra Lako, Mercy Ships Country Director for Sierra Leone, reiterated the organization’s commitment to the country, highlighting a “shared vision” with the Ministry of Health to “bridge the gap in surgical capacity.” She added, “Together with our partners, we are investing in local healthcare professionals who will continue to transform lives and create sustainable change.”
ABJ/APA