the Global Mercythe largest civilian hospital ship in the world, made its debut in Africa in the port of Dakar, where it will stay four weeks to train health professionals, noted an AFP journalist on Monday May 30.
This giant – measuring 174 meters long by 28.6 meters wide and comprising 12 bridges – arrived Friday in the port of the Senegalese capital where it is visible from afar, and will remain there for four weeks until the end of June, before return in 2023 to provide surgical care to underprivileged populations.
His arrival coincides with a new drama that has shaken the country and brought to light the shortcomings of Senegal’s health system. Eleven babies died on May 25 in a fire in a public hospital in Tivaouane (west).
“Our hearts are broken for the eleven families who lost their babies. It is a disaster. And it’s difficult to come and have a positive message when we had prepared for an extraordinary moment.told journalists Bryce Wagner, executive director of Mercy Ships Global Association, an international NGO working to improve access to health care in several African countries.
Two ships of Mercy Ships in Dakar
On the Global Mercythe hospital covers about 7,000 m2 and understand “6 operating theatres, 102 acute care beds, 7 intensive care beds and 90 convalescent beds”, according to a press release. The construction of this boat lasted 48 months, according to the organization.
Based on forty-three years of organizational experience and more than five years of specifically studying the results of theAfrica Mercya hospital ship in service since 2007 to help the poorest in West and Central Africa, Mercy Ships wanted to add another ship of « superior capacity » and “having the same goals”.
The young Mohamed Gueye, 13, testified to having been treated in 2020 on theAfrica Mercy for a tumor in the mouth and said he was happy to have found a « new face ». His father, from a village in the Kaolack region (south), explained that he had been too poor to pay for such an operation before Mercy Ships arrived in Senegal.
During its stay in Senegal, the crew of the Global Mercy intends to participate in the training of 260 Senegalese health professionals, alongside the crew of theAfrica Mercy, present in the port of Dakar since February (until November) and providing surgery on board. At the end of June, the Global Mercy will return to the Canaries for the“complete and final dressing of the boat”.
New mission between February and June 2023
Mercy Ships plans to return between February and June 2023 to conduct training and surgical operations: maxillofacial and reconstructive surgery, tumor removal, cleft lip and palate repair, obstetric fistula repair, etc.
Senegalese President Macky Sall formally welcomed the Global Mercy Monday morning during a ceremony, in the presence of the President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, and the President of the Comoros, Azali Assoumani. The health ministers of Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Cameroon and Congo-Brazzaville were also present.
“I would like to thank and congratulate Don Stephens [fondateur de Mercy Ships] and members of Mercy Ships. We express our gratitude to them in promoting safe surgery in Africa and give them all the recognition due to them since 1990”said Mr. Sall.
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