Mercy Ships announced that its newest vessel, Africa Mercy, the world’s largest non-governmental hospital ship, has docked in Monrovia following the vessel’s maiden voyage from the U.K.
Since 1978, Mercy Ships has used hospital ships to deliver free health care to the poor. Africa Mercy effectively doubles Mercy Ships’ capacity to provide free health care and community development services.
After serving more than 275 ports over her lifetime, the Mercy Ships hospital ship Anastasis will be retired this fall. The ship’s surgical work and health care projects will be carried on by Africa Mercy’s more than 400-member crew of medical and development volunteers, beginning in late June.
The projected surgical capacity onboard the Africa Mercy is approximately 7,000 operations per year including, cataract removal/lens implant, tumor removal, cleft lip and palate reconstruction, orthopaedics and obstetric fistula repair.
The purchase and conversion of the former rail ferry into a state-of-the-art hospital ship with an expected working life of approximately 30 years, cost approximately $62 million and was funded by donations and gifts-in-kind.
The purchase and conversion of the former rail ferry into a state-of-the-art hospital ship with an expected working life of approximately 30 years, cost approximately $62 million and was funded by donations and gifts-in-kind.
