News

THE MSC FOUNDATION, THE MSC GROUP AND MERCY SHIPS INTERNATIONAL JOIN FORCES TO BUILD A NEW HOSPITAL SHIP

Geneva, Switzerland - Lindale, Texas, United States, 22 April 2024 A groundbreaking agreement between MSC Group, MSC Foundation and the charity Mercy Ships International prepares for the construction of a brand-new hospital ship that will deliver free surgery and training annually to thousands of people in Africa. On 8 April, the chairman of MSC Group and MSC Foundation, Capt. Gianluigi Aponte, Diego Aponte, MSC Group President and Member of the MSC Foundation Board, and Mercy Ships Founder Don Stephens finalised an agreement to kickstart this new project with a generous anchor donation from MSC Foundation, reflecting the visionary leaders’ commitment to supporting access to critical healthcare for the generations to come.

Patients across Madagascar complete registration for free surgeries on Mercy Ships

Press release

TOAMASINA, MADAGASCAR – International charity Mercy Ships has announced the successful completion of the Patient Registration Phase in Madagascar. This is a critical milestone towards provision of surgical care to underserved communities, bringing hope and healing to countless lives.   

Collaborative partnerships boost surgical care needs in West Africa, experts hear

Press release

Freetown, SIERRA LEONE – Renowned surgeons and medical experts from across West Africa and beyond met in Freetown, Sierra Leone to propose ways of accelerating access to surgical care and education at the 64th Conference and Scientific Meeting of the West African College of Surgeons (WACS). The week-long event marks a significant milestone in demonstrating West Africa’s medical expertise, offering a platform to exchange ideas and collectively shape the future of surgery and anesthesia while demonstrating the great progress that the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health (MOH) has made with global partnerships.

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

Press release

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

News

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

Press release

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

Press release

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

Press release

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

Press release

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.