SIERRA LEONE — In response to an invitation from H.E. President Julius Maada Bio, Freetown has welcomed a Mercy Ships’ hospital ship, marking the sixth instance of the collaboration between Mercy Ships and the government of Sierra Leone. This time it is the Global Mercy® the world’s largest non-governmental hospital ship, which has docked at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay.

For the next ten months, Mercy Ships’ newest state-of-the-art hospital ship will partner with the Ministry of Health to provide free specialized surgeries to Sierra Leoneans and targeted training for healthcare professionals until June 2024. ​ Mercy Ships’ programmatic strategy has been carefully aligned with the country’s current strategic healthcare plan.

People:

I’m overwhelmed. It’s just so amazing seeing Global Mercy coming into my country.

Welcome to Sierra Leone!

Welcome to Saarland!

Today is like, for me I would say, a national holiday.

We see all of these people coming to help us as Sierra Leoneans. This is really a moment of igniting hope. And I’m really happy about it.

As I got the first glimpse of the Global Mercy, honestly I was overjoyed. I had tears in my eyes. This is the moment we’ve been waiting for. And it’s just incredible to think about the transformation we can bring here in the lives of patients, communities, healthcare workers, and in safe surgery in Sierra Leone.

Today’s been a really special day. We’ve been able to welcome hundreds of visitors aboard the Global Mercy, special guests who have welcomed us into their nation.

This is close to a year of thinking and planning and organizing. But to see all of that come into reality with the ship actually in Sierra Leone, it’s just amazing.

We at Mercy Ships firmly believe the impact of our work will be multiplied. There will be a ripple effect to our efforts and we will see transformation. Sierra Leone remains committed to improving its surgical systems, making surgical care a tangible reality for its people. Working together, we will make progress.

President Julius Maada Bio:

I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the Master’s Ships organization, the sponsors, professional volunteers, dedicated individuals who serve on board, and everyone who has contributed to making this mission possible. Together, we can create a legacy of healing and hope that will resonate for generations to come.

It’s a privilege for us to be able to host the president and the ministers of cabinet that we had today. But importantly, it signifies a partnership between us in Mercy Ships, the people and the nation of Sierra Leone. It’s wonderful to be together on this mission.

About Mercy Ships

Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to deliver free, world-class healthcare services, capacity building, and sustainable development to those with little access in the developing world. Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 55 developing countries, providing services valued at more than $1.7 billion and directly benefitting more than 2.8 million people. Our ships are crewed by volunteers from over 60 nations, with an average of over 1,200 volunteers each year. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, healthcare trainers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills. With 16 national offices and an Africa Bureau, Mercy Ships seeks to transform individuals and serve nations one at a time. For more information click on www.mercyships.org.

CONTACT: Diane Rickard, Int’l Media Relations Manager, Mercy Ships, Diane.rickard@mercyships.org

Read more news on Non Profit / Faith Based Organizations, and Medical Ministry on Missions Box.