Celebrating a Year of Lasting Impact
It is estimated that 70% of people around the world lack access to safe surgical care – and that approximately one-third of those are children. This burden is felt especially heavily in sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly half the population is under 18.
A 2021 study that took place in four sub-Saharan African nations found that 60-90% of patients in need of surgery would face “catastrophic” costs if they went through with the operation.
That was true for Sadio, a Senegalese father who could not afford surgery to correct his son Malang’s bowed legs. Even if he had the money, Sadio could not find a surgeon near his home who could perform the operation.
But in 2023, Malang received a free surgery on board the Global Mercy™. The operation that finally straightened his legs was the result of a longstanding partnership between Mercy Ships and Senegal, powered by the passion and skill of African leaders and healthcare professionals, and the dedication of volunteers from all over the world.
Malang’s operation was one of 3,513 Mercy Ships provided during 2023. More than 1,400 of those took place on board the Global Mercy during field services in two ports – Freetown, Sierra Leone; and Dakar, Senegal. From those ports, the ship served patients from three countries – Senegal, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone.
This work was only possible thanks to more than 1,382 skilled volunteers from 71 countries, including 660+ Senegalese, Gambian, and Sierra Leonean national crewmembers.