Since 1978 their fleet of floating hospitals have brought hope and healing to more than 2 million of the world’s poorest people by delivering free transformational health care, sanitation, and education. They have served in more than 50 developing countries around the world and, in recent years, have focussed on the massive need found throughout West Africa where health care either does not exist or is prohibitively expensive.

Africa Mercy, a converted former Danish rail ferry, is the world’s largest charity hospital ship. She was completely refitted in 2007 at a cost of £30m (half the cost of a comparable new vessel) to include 5 operating theatres and a 78-bed ward, a pharmacy, a CT Scanner, and X-ray and laboratory services. With more than twice the capacity of her predecessor, she not only facilitates around 7,000 surgical procedures on board each year, but also operates as a base for the volunteers to run busy eye and dental clinics.

Although her 450-strong crew of doctors, nurses, engineers, cooks, and sailors, is entirely voluntary (they even pay their own living expenses, to ensure all funds go towards treating patients), a vessel this size has substantial running costs, and her work is only made possible by private donations. Please visit www.mercyships.org.uk for more information.

Thank You.
By Nauticalia
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