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As Awa grew up in her village, she encountered the hardships of living with a cleft lip. “People in my village did not cast her out, but they laughed at her, and she was ashamed. They would say ‘look at how your mouth and lip are’, which made her embarrassed. She used to hide her mouth with her hand,” said Rougui. Both Awa’s parents and her uncle kept looking for an answer to their prayers, but they couldn’t see any solution in their future.

Meet Amadou, the First Patient to Receive Surgery on the Global Mercy®

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The world’s largest purpose-built civilian hospital ship, the Global Mercy®, is projected to serve 150,000 patients over the next five decades – and it all begins with Amadou, a 4-year-old with a windswept leg and bowed leg from southern Senegal. With an orthopedic surgery on March 6, Amadou was the first patient to ever receive surgery on board the new ship. 

One Port, Two Nations: The Global Mercy™ Arrives in Dakar

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On February 14, a special day of celebration took place in the Port of Dakar, Senegal. A long-awaited sight was on the horizon as the newly built Mercy Ship, the Global Mercy™, sailed into view. Designed to deliver hope and healing to nations with limited surgical capacity, the Global Mercy is now ready to live her purpose. This year marks the first in an expected 50-year lifespan of specialized free surgeries taking place on board.

‘Giving Back’: Senegalese Mercy Ships Volunteers Ready to Meet the Need at Home

“Serving my own country, it’s a blessing for me,” David said. “When I’m giving back to my own people, it boosts my happiness, my health, and my sense of wellbeing.” In February, as the Africa Mercy heads to South Africa for a period of maintenance, David and the crew of the new Global Mercy will set sail for Dakar. This time they’ll be serving not only the people of Senegal, but their neighbors in The Gambia as well. For Senegalese crewmembers, this field service is a powerful opportunity to make an impact not abroad, but at home. After all, home is where they’ve seen the need firsthand.

Mercy Ships’ Newest Hospital Ship Prepares to Serve First Patients

On board the Global Mercy, docked in Spain’s Canary Islands, there is an atmosphere of expectation. Ever since the new ship's construction was completed in mid-2021, she’s been getting ready to serve her very first patients. Day after day, her crew has been patiently preparing for a moment that’s finally about to arrive. Soon, the newest ship in the Mercy Ships fleet will lower her gangway in Dakar, Senegal, and welcome patients on board to receive life-changing surgery.

Health in Africa: the tree that hides the forest

In August, WHO's Monitoring Report on Universal Health Coverage in Africa revealed a 10-year rise in life expectancy between 2000 and 2019. This drastic increase is a consequence of the 37% drop in mortality between 2000 and 2015 following the implementation of the 2000-2015 Millennium Development Goals.

‘Living Proof that Change Is Possible’: Mercy Ships Medical Capacity Building in Liberia

Just a few weeks ago a new team arrived, carrying loads of anesthesia training equipment in their luggage. Almost all the anesthesia providers in Liberia have already participated in an online training course in SAFE Obstetric Anesthesia, which was offered by Mercy Ships in partnership with the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists (WFSA). Now, local Liberian anesthesia providers have welcomed teams to the country to facilitate the next level of practical training.

The Mercy Ships Africa Celebration: New Hope for the Future of Surgery

The arrival of the Global Mercy signifies a new era for the partnership between Mercy Ships and Africa. But she’s just one piece of a larger movement toward safer surgery. Drawing on the data gathered and analyzed at the International Symposium, representatives from several African nations met on board the Global Mercy to adopt the Dakar Declaration. "This historic document is the roadmap for the future of accelerating safe surgical, obstetric, and anesthetic care in Africa in the years to come,” said Gert van de Weerdhof.

Safer Surgery by 2030: African Leaders, Mercy Ships Gather for Historic Symposium

The political and scientific leaders of Africa are developing a plan to strengthen surgical, obstetric, and anesthetic systems from within over the next 10 years. In May, led by the government of Senegal, these efforts will converge at the International Symposium on Strengthening Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthetic Care Systems in Africa by 2030. This event is part of an overarching Mercy Ships Africa Celebration, marking not only a step forward for the surgical systems across the continent, but a celebration of the 30-year partnership between Mercy Ships and the nations of Africa. None of this would have been possible without our supporters all over the world. And you’re invited to be a part of it all.

The Africa Mercy® Welcomes First Patients on Board

Two years ago, when the Africa Mercy® sailed from Senegal, hundreds of patients were left still waiting for their chance for surgery. On February 1st, the ship returned to the port of Dakar to bring hope and healing to these patients and their families.