Mercy Ships Returns to Ghana With Its Largest Hospital Ship

The Global Mercy, following her recent field service in Sierra Leone and scheduled annual maintenance period, arrived at the Port of Tema yesterday. This marks the beginning of a 10-month field service in partnership with the Government of Ghana, where the world’s largest purpose-built civilian hospital ship will offer free surgical care on board. Welcoming Mercy Ships back to Ghana, His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama said "Health is not a luxury; it is the foundation of freedom. It is the currency of our dignity. It is our greatest public good, and so I am delighted to welcome Mercy Ships to Ghana." Although Ghana has one of the strongest healthcare systems in West Africa, bolstered by its ambitious National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anaesthesia Plan (NSOAP) launched in 2024, millions of people still face barriers to timely, safe, and affordable surgical care. Surgical specialists remain unevenly distributed, and district hospitals continue to face capacity challenges. This means many patients live with easily treatable conditions because surgery remains beyond their reach. “The development of this plan (NSOAP) is in line with our broader objectives for the health sector,