News
Mercy Ships Assists with African Congo-Brazzaville Explosion Disaster Response
Mercy Ships has teamed up with the German disaster response organization Humedica to assist with critically needed surgical and medical support following a catastrophic explosion in an African weapons depot in the Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville. The explosion occurred the first week of March in the capital city of Brazzaville. Initial reports estimate more than 200 are dead, approximately 2300 people are wounded, and thousands more are left homeless.
African Student’s Circle of Service on the Mercy Ship
Recently, a young Sierra Leonean woman made a trip back to the African country of her birth to volunteer onboard a floating hospital, the Africa Mercy, which is operated by Mercy Ships. She is alive today, thanks to a Mercy Ships medical intervention two decades ago. This year on International Women’s Day, the global nonprofit highlights her inspiring story as an example of the lives of women and children being saved every day through improved maternal health.
Mercy Ships to Host PQMD Board Meeting in Texas
Mercy Ships has announced that it will host the upcoming board meeting of the Partnership for Quality Medical Donations (PQMD), which will be held February 29 to March 2 at Mercy Ships headquarters in Lindale, TX, about 100 miles east of Dallas. The meeting will include working groups that will strengthen and refine standards for high-quality medical donations from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Mercy Ships Volunteer Dentists Give More than a Smile on “Give Kids a Smile Day”
Today is “Give Kids a Smile Day.” While many dentists in the U.S. will contribute time to provide free oral health care services to children from low-income families across the country, Mercy Ships volunteer dental professionals are also doing the same and more in Lomé, Togo, alongside the Africa Mercy, the world’s largest privately owned hospital ship. In essence, the dental team celebrates “Bring Kids a Smile Day” everyday.
Mercy Ships Signs Health Compact with Government of Sierra Leone
This week Mercy Ships, along with health development partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Department for International Development (DFID) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and others – signed a Health Compact with the Sierra Leonean government.
Global Million Dollar Match propels Mercy Ships through End of Year Giving
Garden Valley, Texas, December 9, 2011 – Global partners of Mercy Ships have come together, uniting resources and support, to continue their mission of helping the world’s forgotten poor.
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal Visits the Africa Mercy
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited the world’s largest charity hospital ship in Sierra Leone on Wednesday, October 26 as part of her tour of the West African country. The Princess Royal is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh of the British Monarchy.
Mercy Ships Gives Sight to the Blind in West Africa
Garden Valley, TX, October 13, 2011 – Approximately eighty percent of all visual impairment can be prevented or cured, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Today, on World Sight Day, Mercy Ships honors those courageous patients who have received eye surgeries onboard the state-of-the-art hospital ship, the Africa Mercy. In 2011, Mercy Ships eye surgeons gave the gift of sight to over 1,300 individuals in Sierra Leone, one of the poorest countries in the world. The Mercy Vision Eye Care Team also performed more than 7,500 eye evaluations and distributed 2,400 pairs of reading glasses.
Rotary and Mercy Ships partner to deliver vital medical care to West Africa
A new strategic partnership between Rotary International and the global charity Mercy Ships will improve the delivery of vital health care services throughout West Africa.
Extractive Search Supports World’s Largest Charity Hospital Ship
Specialist executive search consultancy, Extractive Search, has announced it will support the international charity Mercy Ships as its charity of choice by donating 10% of its profits to the charity.
Living Blood Bank: Mercy Ships Celebrates World Blood Donor Day
On 14 June 2011, countries worldwide will celebrate World Blood Donor Day with events to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. The theme for World Blood Donor Day 2011 is: "More blood. More life." This theme reinforces the urgent need for more people all over the world to become life-savers by volunteering to donate blood regularly. Mercy Ships has carved out their own method in blood donation. Many lives have been saved due to the “walking blood bank.” Such a unique and effective means of donating blood gives the donor a whole new perspective on saving a life. When you can shake the patient’s hand after a transfusion of your blood has saved his or her life . . . it is a priceless moment.
Ecobank, West African Businessmen Raise $30,000 for Mercy Ships
History was made in Sierra Leone, the West African Nation ranked at the bottom of the Human Development Index. Seven years ago, 70,000 UN Peace keeping troops were in this nation. Today, the UN numbers less than 70. Two democratic elections have been successfully completed. The nation willingly disarmed. As the nation celebrates 50 years of independence, it seems fitting that West African businesses would donate to support the work of Mercy Ships. It is the fifth visit of a Mercy Ship to Freetown so the organization is well known and trusted.
Africa Mercy Welcomes Sierra Leone President, Vice President and Minister of Health
Top government officials from the Republic of Sierra Leone toured the Mercy Ships flagship, the Africa Mercy, on Friday, May 27, 2011. President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana, and the Honorable Minister of Health and Sanitation, Mrs. Zainab Hawa Bangura received a warm reception from the 450 crew members serving onboard the hospital ship.
Humanitarian Award Presented to Mercy Ships Founder
The Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone in Washington, D.C., has announced that Don Stephens, President/Founder of Mercy Ships, is the recipient of the Diamond Award for his contribution to the development of Sierra Leone – particularly, in the field of health. The award is presented from the Embassy of Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Diaspora in North America.
Mercy Ships Navigates Ahead in Sierra Leone
In its fifth hospital ship visit to Sierra Leone over some two decades, Mercy Ships continues to serve the people of Sierra Leone through provision of surgical and medical services, and through partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone and other health partners to improve strategically identified hospitals within the country.
Mercy Ships Recognizes NU Nursing Students for National Nurses Week
Mercy Ships is only able to fulfill its mission of serving the forgotten poor because of its qualified staff of nurses from all over the world. During National Nurses Week, observed by the American Nurses Association (ANA) May 6-May 12, 2011, Mercy Ships would like to highlight a group of nursing students who played an active role in preparing for the 2011 Mercy Ships Field Service in Sierra Leone – one of the world’s poorest countries.
Democratic Republic of the Congo Officials Visit Mercy Ships
Mercy Ships hosted dignitaries from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) at their International Operations Center in Garden Valley, Texas. Mercy Ships President and Founder Don Stephens signed a protocol alongside DRC’s Minister of Health, Mr. Victor Makwenge Kaput. This marks the first step in collaboration between Mercy Ships and Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mercy Ships personnel will assess the country’s medical infrastructure and determine how Mercy Ships can help address the population’s health needs.
Security Foiling Supports World’s Largest Charity Hospital Ship
Independent world-leading experts in foil and hologram security, Security Foiling Ltd, has announced it will support the international charity Mercy Ships as its charity of choice for this year.
Mercy Ships celebrates National Volunteer Week…California Style
National Volunteer Week is extremely important to Mercy Ships, a global medical charity focused on health-related issues. Mercy Ships flagship, the Africa Mercy, is the world’s largest non-governmental hospital ship and is staffed with 450 crew members – who serve as paying volunteers.
Mercy Ships: Dedicated to Excellence in World Health Care
Mercy Ships is dedicated to improving World Health in some of the most poverty-stricken nations on earth. The focus of 2011 World Health Day, celebrated on April 7, is the importance of antimicrobial agents — antibiotics, antivirals and chemotherapeutic agents, among others. Getting vital medications to the developing world in a timely manner is a challenging task. No one goes to greater lengths to ensure their patients are provided with these life-saving medications than the international charity, Mercy Ships.
