World’s Largest Hospital Ship Begins 10 Months of Free Surgery in Ghana
The Global Mercy, the world’s largest civilian hospital ship, has arrived at the Port of Tema, marking the fifth field service by Mercy Ships in Ghana.
The docking was celebrated at a welcome ceremony attended by government officials, diplomats, healthcare leaders and international crew.
Over the next ten months, the ship’s volunteer medical teams are expected to perform between 1,950 and 2,600 free surgeries and provide 1,610 to 2,145 dental treatments for Ghanaians.
The field service will also train an estimated 100 to 250 local healthcare professionals through mentoring, education and clinical placements aboard the vessel.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister for Health Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh described the visit as part of a partnership that has been in place for more than 30 years, and the first since the two sides reaffirmed their collaboration in 2025.
He said the initiative complements Ghana’s National Surgical, Obstetric and Anaesthesia Plan (NSOAP), launched in 2024 to expand access to safe, equitable surgical care nationwide.
“It is therefore important that we view the arrival of the Global Mercy not as a stand-alone intervention, but as a collaborative effort to support and accelerate Ghana’s own national priorities,” the Minister said, adding that the true measure of success would be the field service’s lasting impact on patients, healthcare workers and institutions, long after the ship departs.
The Minister also highlighted the role of the HOPE Centre, which supports patients before and after surgery and gives Ghanaian healthcare professionals the opportunity to work alongside international volunteers, and thanked the many ministries, agencies, security services and health institutions that helped prepare for the ship’s arrival.
Mercy Ships CEO Dr Michelle White noted the symbolism of returning to Tema, where the organisation’s first hospital ship, the Anastasis, docked more than 30 years ago.
According to her, Mercy Ships has trained close to 3,000 Ghanaian healthcare professionals and delivered over 2,500 surgical procedures in the country since 1991, including support last year for the Ghana Surgical Dialogue, which convened national and international leaders on surgical, obstetric and anaesthesia care.
Dr White said the organisation would work closely with the Ministry of Health, universities and healthcare institutions, including the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Ghana College of Nursing and Midwifery, to align the field service with Ghana’s national priorities and to offer postgraduate training placements aboard the ship.
The Minister for Transport, Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe, welcomed the Global Mercy on behalf of the sector, describing Ghana’s ports as a gateway serving the wider West African sub-region, including neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
He pledged the full support of port authorities to ensure smooth operations throughout the ship’s stay and wished the crew a safe and successful field service.
Since 1990, Mercy Ships has completed 47 field services across 14 African countries and delivered more than 128,800 surgical procedures worldwide.
The organisation says its focus has evolved from direct humanitarian response toward long-term health system strengthening, working through partnership, education and locally led capacity building, an approach it says aligns closely with Ghana’s NSOAP.
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