Tag Archive for: Healthcare

Life of boy, 5, transformed after charity operates on his severely bowed legs

 A five-year-old soccer fan whose legs started to bow from the age of two can run and play with friends without pain after his life was transformed by a surgical charity.  Malang from Senegal had been to multiple hospitals in his home country in search of medical help without success. 

Two Hours of Surgery, A Lifetime of Transformation

“You are strong,” 5-year-old Malang’s dad, Sadio, would gently murmur to him during days of rigorous rehabilitation aboard the Global Mercy™. These words of unwavering support became a daily ritual lifting Malang up as he healed from orthopedic surgery. 

Powerful call to action: Collaborate now to bridge critical global surgical care and education gaps: Mercy Ships and Operation Smile Co-Host Side Event at 77th World Health Assembly

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – MAY 30, 2024: The imperative need for collaboration to tackle critical gaps in surgical care and education around the globe gained fresh recognition at a high-level panel discussion during the 77th World Health Assembly. (WHA). This side event on May 30th highlighted the synergies between surgeons, policy makers, NGOs, academia and the private sector. The WHA’s main theme for the 77th assembly was ‘All for Health, Health for All’.

Mercy Ships Welcomes First Patient in Madagascar, Marking a New Era in Africa

A baby girl became the first patient to receive free life-changing surgery from Mercy Ships in Madagascar since the international charity returned to the island nation. Ten-month-old Anjara’s surgery marks a significant landmark for the organization which is operating two hospital ships at once in Africa for the first time.

THIS AFRICA DAY: A BEACON OF HOPE Dr. Fabruce’s dedication to Madagascar

Dr. Fabruce Ramaherimamonjy epitomizes the African Union’s theme of this year’s Africa Day: Educate an African fit for the 21st Century. He remains steadfast in his commitment to prioritizing medical education to elevate standards of healthcare for his fellow Malagasies. But it wasn’t always his life plan.

Reclaiming Life: Papa’s Story

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Papa 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. 

The Impact of Timely Dental Care: Ibrahim’s Story

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When 13-year-old Ibrahim arrived at the Global Mercy™ in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the left side of his face was tremendously swollen, protruding well beyond the teen’s jawline. He’d developed a simple toothache when he was 9 years old, but left untreated, the problem worsened, and a big part of his jawbone became infected.

An Electrician’s Journey to Finding Purpose and Professional Growth

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When Jean Jacques Diouf climbed the gangway of the Africa Mercy® for the first time in his home country of Senegal, he’d packed his suitcase with enough supplies for just one week. He figured he wasn’t going to be on board for long. He’d only come to volunteer because he couldn’t say no to his father, who felt confident Mercy Ships would turn his son’s life around personally and professionally and advised him to just “go and see what happens.”  

A father’s love: Aissatou’s story

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2022 was not the first time that Ousmane had sought medical help for his daughter Aissatou. Since his little girl was born with a cleft lip four years earlier, he had been in pursuit of her healing. The family had visited multiple hospitals in Senegal, but none could provide the help they needed. Others in his village started to lose hope, telling Ousmane that his daughter’s cleft lip was beyond repair.

Bringing a Crew Together on the World’s Largest Civilian Hospital Ships

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It takes hundreds of volunteers to power Mercy Ships’ mission of following the model of Jesus to deliver safe and free surgeries via hospital ships. Those volunteers need to be equipped with professional skills in medicine, seafaring, accounting, cooking, and many other fields. They hail from countries around the world, and they must navigate long journeys, language barriers, visa procurement, and more logistics before they board the ship and begin serving. Through it all, the Mercy Ships People & Culture (P&C) team is beside them, offering crewmembers the support and expertise they need to succeed.
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Africa Service Center (ASC)

Rue Thann, Immeuble Sea View,

Appartement 3ème étage à droite,

Dakar, SENEGAL

Africa Service Center (ASC)

Rue Thann, Immeuble Sea View,

Appartement 3ème étage à droite,

Dakar, SENEGAL

Tel: +221782967104 /776447017

africa@mercyships.org

© 2025 – Mercy Ships

Terms and conditions

Contact Us
News
Press
Videos

Africa Service Center (ASC)

Rue Thann, Immeuble Sea View,

Appartement 3ème étage à droite,

Dakar, SENEGAL

Africa Service Center (ASC)

Rue Thann, Immeuble Sea View,

Appartement 3ème étage à droite,

Dakar, SENEGAL

Tel: +221782967104 /776447017
africa@mercyships.org

© 2023 – Mercy Ships

Terms and conditions