News

International Women’s Day: Sierra Leone’s Florence Bangura is fostering opportunities for growth in all women, starting with herself

At a young age, Florence Bangura was barred from working and married off by her father. But the adversity may be the reason the 49-year-old from Sierra Leone is today the embodiment of what International Women’s Day is all about.

Transforming Sierra Leone’s Healthcare: A Vision for Safe and Affordable Surgery

As experts from the surgical and healthcare world gather for the 64th Annual Conference and Scientific Meeting of the West African College of Surgeons in Sierra Leone this week, a profound dedication to advancing surgical knowledge and practice in the region is palpable. At the forefront of discussions lies the conference's pivotal theme: access to safe and affordable surgical and anesthetic care in West Africa. This theme highlights the pressing need to address disparities in healthcare capabilities and capacities across the region, especially the critical importance of equitable access to quality surgical interventions.

Ministry of Health and Mercy Ships Extend Stay of Hospital Ship in Sierra Leone to Provide Life-Changing Surgeries and Education

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the renowned international charity Mercy Ships, proudly announces the extension of the Global Mercy’s stay in Sierra Leone. This affirms the commitment to addressing the surgical needs of the Sierra Leonean people and advancing healthcare education in the region.

Hospital ship arrives in Madagascar to deliver surgical care and training

TOAMASINA, MADAGASCAR – International charity Mercy Ships yesterday [February 1st] returned to Madagascar to bring transformative surgical education and free, life- changing surgeries. Freshly refitted hospital ship, the upgraded Africa Mercy® has arrived at the island nation to build on the charity’s longstanding collaboration and will provide specialized surgeries in various fields, including maxillofacial and ear nose and throat, general, pediatric specialized general, pediatric orthopedic, cataract surgery, and reconstructive plastics.

Africa Mercy® heads to Madagascar after recrewing in East London: Extensive South African upgrades will benefit Mercy Ships’ future surgical offering

EAST LONDON, SOUTH AFRICA 25 JANUARY 2024 – This week, following a recrewing effort, the hospital ship the Africa Mercy® departed from the Port of East London for service within the nation of Madagascar for the next 10 months. During an eight-month refit in Durban’s Dormac Shipyard, the ship underwent extensive repairs and maintenance to prolong and improve the vessel’s service life and improve the quality of the ship’s medical services.

Empowering surgeons: the female surgeon on a mission to accelerate surgery in Madagascar

Professor Fanja is on a mission to uplift surgeons and enhance the healthcare system in her home nation of Madagascar.   Having benefited from the guidance of skilled teachers during her own training, Prof. Fanja, whose full name is Professor Fanjandrainy Rasoaherinomejanahary, specializes in surgery of the abdominal organs and entire digestive tract, is determined to pass on her knowledge to the next generation of surgeons. 

Boy, six, can return to school with twin brother after his bowed legs are repaired

A six-year-old boy who developed severely bowed legs, when his twin brother did not, has been able to go to school after a surgical charity repaired them.  Serigne’s legs started to bow when he was a toddler, while his twin Fallou’s remained straight.  When he was two years old, his parents noticed he took longer to walk, and when he did, he struggled. 

2024: Mercy Ships doubles down efforts to bring surgical care and training to sub-Saharan Africa as studies pinpoint critical gaps in surgical, obstetric, and anesthetic care

More volunteers than ever are needed to devote their time to international charity Mercy Ships as it prepares to start 2024 with two hospital ships in service as the momentum to deliver improved surgical care across Africa intensifies. The charity’s newest hospital ship, the Global Mercy®, continues to provide surgeries in Sierra Leone, where it has been since August 2023, while the Africa Mercy™ will start service in Madagascar.

Senegalese health minister praises Mercy Ships’ partnership ‘considerable contribution’ on international stage

Gratitude for Mercy Ships’ work was publicly shared at the joint Third Congress of the Senegalese Society of Pediatric Surgery and the Ninth Congress of the African Society of Pediatric Surgery in Dakar last week. Secretary General of the Ministry of Health and Social Action Professor Habib Ndiaye acknowledged the lack of pediatric surgeons in the country and thanked Mercy Ships for helping to tackle the very high demand for child orthopedic surgeries.