Antananarivo, 10 December 2024 - The Ministry of Public Health wishes to inform the population that the Africa Mercy hospital ship will temporarily leave Madagascar on 13 December 2024 for its annual maintenance, which is essential for the continuation of its humanitarian mission of excellence. The Africa Mercy’s presence in Madagascar is the result of a solid partnership between the Malagasy Government and international organisation Mercy Ships.

It’s been almost two decades since Merryl Mackenzie, now 65 years old, began her journey with Mercy Ships. In 2007, Merryl left her home in Australia and came to Ghana, West Africa – arriving on New Year’s Eve to serve as an operating room nurse on the Anastasis, just before it was retired. She worked alongside volunteer surgeon, Dr. Gary Parker, doing maxillofacial surgeries. Having taken a temporary leave of absence from the hospital where she worked, the mother of three stayed aboard the ship for three weeks in pursuit of a childhood dream.

Last 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.