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Blog, BlogLast month, 40 African Health Ministers signed important agreements at the Pan-African Surgical Healthcare Forum (PASHeF) in Rwanda. These agreements are a big step towards making surgical care accessible to more people across Africa. In the near future, the goal is to have these formally adopted by the African Union (UA). This journey is one that Mercy Ships, the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), the Rwanda Ministry of Health, and Smile Train walked together – to support and host this recent PASHeF meeting.
Dr. Walt Johnson shares his thoughts on why these efforts are so important and why collaboration is vital for saving lives.
How Matron Betsy Deen is Transforming Healthcare at Freetown’s Largest Hospital
Blog, BlogRunning a hospital isn’t an easy task — it takes leaders carefully orchestrating a sea of moving parts to keep operations running smoothly. Matron Betsy Deen is that person at Connaught Hospital’s surgical department in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
During Mercy Ships’ 2023-24 field service in Freetown, several training opportunities were offered through Education, Training, and Advocacy (ETA) programs, which helped strengthen the ties between Mercy Ships and Sierra Leone’s healthcare network.
Free Fistula Surgeries on Land: A Successful Collaboration Story
Blog, BlogIn anticipation of welcoming her eighth child, a heavily pregnant Ernestine had to make a two-day journey to the nearest hospital in the district of Mandritsara, Madagascar. She sat in a canoe and then walked for miles, eager to see her baby, but her joy was short-lived. Ernestine lost her baby during labor and had to travel back home in pain, walking with a health condition she had never heard of – obstetric fistula. Caused by prolonged and obstructed labor, obstetric fistula is a hole between the genital tract and the urinary tract or rectum, resulting in the leaking of urine, feces, or both.
Returning to His Calling: Auguste’s Story
Blog, BlogFor 51 years, Auguste lived a healthy, active life. He trained in the Senegalese military, moved north to the capital city of Dakar, raised a family, and found his passion as a schoolteacher.
Then, one day, Auguste noticed a spot on his face. Three years later, this spot started to grow. Over the next five years, it ballooned into a massive tumor protruding from his cheek and mouth.
Finding Freedom from a Tumor After 15 Years: Fidisoa’s Journey
Blog, BlogThe tumor on 38-year-old Fidisoa’s back started out just like a tiny pimple... then it turned into a lump... and eventually grew to the size of a fist. Before long, the tumor had grown to such a size that when Fidisoa wore a shirt, any onlooker would have assumed he carried a backpack underneath.
Now 53, Fidisoa has come a long way, having spent the last 15 years of his life shadowed by the massive tumor on his back – but he’s always remained determined to find a solution.
The Girl Who Brings Joy: Naserry’s Story
Blog, BlogNaserry was always a happy child, the kind of girl who brings joy to a room just by entering it. To describe her personality, her aunt, Salamatu, simply laughed and responded: “She likes to talk!”
Salamatu has held onto high hopes for her niece, who dreams of becoming a lawyer one day. She refused to stop dreaming big for Naserry, even after a childhood accident, during which Naserry fell into a cooking fire, left her with severe burns and limited use of her right elbow, wrist, and pinky.
Inspiring Excellence: Ophthalmology Training in Sierra Leone
Blog, BlogMercy Ships serves its partner nations using a doubled-edged approach to bringing hope and healing – providing free and safe surgeries to those in need on board hospital ships, and empowering local healthcare providers with effective training and mentorship leading to better care for the people they serve. Mercy Ships drives the latter through our Education, Training and Advocacy (ETA) program, which involves identifying and understanding the gaps that exist in the health landscape of the country before contributing to the bridging of such gaps using training and advocacy.
Healing in Madagascar: Muriella’s Journey of Hope
Blog, BlogNestled atop a hill with breathtaking views and strong gusts of wind is a village in the heart of Madagascar. Just a six-hour drive from the capital of Antananarivo or Tana, where most of the island’s population live, the village is a sharp contrast to Tana – with only a few hundred inhabitants.
This village is where 26-year-old Muriella lives with her husband, Tsory. However, Muriella’s unique story stands out from the rest of her small community. About a decade ago, at the age of 17, Muriella had a tumor slowly growing on the left side of her face.
Reclaiming Life: Papa’s Story
Blog, BlogPapa has a photo of a motorcycle engine on the wall of his bedroom. At just 21 years old, he has already established himself as an exceptional mechanic, dedicating his days to mending and reviving motorbikes. “Fixing bikes has always been a passion for me since I was a child,” he says.
When a large tumor began growing from the left side of his face, not only did it put his health in jeopardy, but he feared that it would dash his prospects as a professional mechanic. “This work has a lot of physical demands; it is harder to do with a tumor in the way,” he explained.
A Life-Altering Surgery for Hassan
Blog, BlogWhen a father passes away, a son struggles to remember as much about his dad as he can. Some of Hassan’s final memories of his father involved living with him while contracting the same condition that ultimately took his dad’s life: complications from an abdominal hernia.