The Global Mercy, the 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.
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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.
Eleven dead babies
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 hard to come and have a positive message when we had prepared for an extraordinary momentBryce Wagner, executive director of Mercy Ships Global Association, an international NGO working to improve access to health care in several African countries, told reporters.
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On the Global Mercy, the hospital covers approximately 7,000 square meters, and includes « six operating theaters, 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 43 years of organizational experience and more than five years of specifically studying the results of the Africa Mercy, a hospital ship in service since 2007 to help the most deprived in West and Central Africa, Mercy Ships wished add another ship of « higher capacity » and « having the same goals« .
« New face »
The young Mohamed Gueye, 13, testified to having been treated in 2020 on the Africa Mercy for a tumor in the mouth, and confided to being 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 the Africa Mercy, present in the port of Dakar since February (until November ) and which performs surgery on board.
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At the end of June, the Global Mercy will return to the Canary Islands for the « complete and final dressing of the boat« . 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.
Ceremony
Senegalese President Macky Sall formally welcomed the Global Mercy Monday morning in a ceremony attended by Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and Comoros President Azali Assoumani. The Ministers of Health of Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Cameroon and Congo-Brazzaville were also present.
« I would like to thank and congratulate Don Stephens – founder of Mercy Ships, editor’s note – and the 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 Macky Sall.
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