For the next ten months Mercy Ships is offering its state-of-the-art hospital ship Africa Mercy, with six operating theatres, laboratory, pharmacy, 78 beds, and an outpatient clinic, to partner alongside the Sierra Leonean government. The ship with more than 400 volunteers from around the world will provide free health care to the people of Sierra Leone and training for health care workers until November.
In response to an invitation from the President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, Mercy Ships program strategy has been carefully aligned with the country's current five-year health care plan.
Life-changing surgeries such as tumor removal, cleft lip and palate correction, cataract removal, orthopedics and plastic surgery will be offered onboard. Potential patients have been encouraged to attend screening days to receive appointments for their specific medical needs. Advance teams have already conducted screenings in six locations upcountry, seeing more than 5,000 patients prior to the ship's arrival.
Sierra Leone has made a significant effort to address heath care concerns in the country, but still faces challenges. Last year, the nation implemented a free health care policy for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under the age of five.
This initiative is very positive, but the nation still ranks at the bottom of the 2010 United Nations Human Development Index (at 158 out of 169). The infant mortality rate in Sierra Leone is 123 per 1,000 births. And with only one dentist for every one million people in Sierra Leone, Mercy Ships investment in the health sector is welcome.
The Mercy Ships Eye Team will partner with the Kissy Eye Clinic to screen and schedule potential patients. Cataract surgeries are performed in a simple 15-minute procedure, restoring sight for hundreds of vision-impaired individuals. Last year, the Eye Team performed more than 2,500 eye surgeries. In 2009, six ophthalmologists from Benin were trained in the cataract correction technique. After training, the surgeons increased the number of procedures in their local clinics from 320 surgeries per year to 2000 per year.
In partnership with other international organizations volunteers serving with Mercy Ships will provide training for local medical personnel who will add capacity long after the ship leaves. The training/mentoring programs will include, but are not limited to, surgeons, nurses, biomedical technicians, hospital leadership, and lab technicians. In addition, agricultural specialists will be involved with training local partners who will in turn train farmers in aspects of sustainable, organic farming techniques to increase nutrition.
Mercy Ships is a global charity that has operated hospital ships in developing nations since 1978 providing free health care and community development services to the forgotten poor. Following the example of Jesus, Mercy Ships brings hope and healing to the poor. Working in partnership with local people, Mercy Ships empowers communities to help themselves. The result is a way out of poverty.
The emphasis is on the needs of the world's poorest nations in West Africa, where the world's largest charity hospital ship Africa Mercy provides the platform for services extending up to ten months at a time. Mercy Ships works on land-based projects in Sierra Leone in partnership with other organisations, while teams also work in several nations of Central America and the Caribbean. Mercy Ships Australia, one of 14 international support offices is based on the Queensland Sunshine Coast.
To contact Mercy Ships Australia, click here