By Kemo Cham
Almost two months after departing the shores of Sierra Leone, Mercy Ships is back in the country.
The Global Mercy, as it is called, anchored at the Port of Freetown on Wednesday, 14 August, 2024.
Mercy Ships, which runs the largest non-governmental hospital ships in the world, operates as a charity based on the Christian faith, providing humanitarian aid like free health care, community development projects, community health education, mental health programs, agriculture projects, and palliative care for terminally ill patients.
Through its fleet of ships, which are also referred to as Vessels of Hope or Floating Hospitals, the charity has provided free surgery and life changing medical treatments to children and adults around the world since 1978.
Mercy Ships spent 10 months in Sierra Leone from 22 August, 2023 to 18 June, 2024, providing nearly 2000 life-saving surgeries for over 1, 700 people, all at no cost.
This will be its 5th mission to Sierra Leone, and officials say this time round it is expected to provide services for over 1,400 individuals.
Announcing the return of the mission, Mercy Ships noted in a social media post that President Julius Maada Bio had extended an invitation for them to extend their stay to continue supporting the delivery of safe surgery and training in the country.
The statement said the ship had to move for a brief annual maintenance period in Tenerife as part of fulfilment of maritime law.
