MV Africa Mercy
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The MV ''Africa Mercy'' is a ,
hospital ship A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones. ...
belonging to the humanitarian organization
Mercy Ships Mercy Ships is an international charity that operates the largest non-governmental hospital ships in the world, providing humanitarian aid like free health care, community development projects, community health education, mental health programs, ...
. Converted from the
rail ferry A train ferry is a ship (ferry) designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ...
MS ''Dronning Ingrid'' in 2007, she is currently the world's second largest non-governmental floating hospital, following the organization's newest and largest ship, the .


Design and capabilities

The ''Africa Mercy'' project started in March 1999. A former
rail ferry A train ferry is a ship (ferry) designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ...
named ''Dronning Ingrid'' (''Queen Ingrid'') was bought in
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...
for , through a donation from U.K. businesswoman
Ann Gloag Dame Ann Heron Gloag DBE (née Souter; born 10 December 1942) is a Scottish billionaire businesswoman, activist, and charity campaigner. She is co-founder of the international transport company Stagecoach Group. According to The ''Sunday Times ...
's Balcraig Foundation."Mercy Ships Launching the ''Africa Mercy''," article, 21 March 2006, http://www.ywam.org/News-Stories/sources/news/mercy_ships_launching_the_africa_mercy. Retrieved 14 September 2011 ''Dronning Ingrid'' is the first of three identical ships built for
DSB DSB may refer to: Science, technology and devices * DsbA, a bacterial member of the Dsb (disulfide bond) family of enzymes * Double strand break, a break in both DNA strands, part of DNA repair * in telecommunications, double-sideband transmission ...
(Danish State Railways). The other ships are the and the . The ship was fitted out at the
Cammell Laird Cammell Laird is a British shipbuilding company. It was formed from the merger of Laird Brothers of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century. The company also built railway rolling stock until 1929, ...
shipyard at
Hebburn Hebburn is a town in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, England. It governed under the borough of South Tyneside; formerly governed under the county of Durham until 1974 with its own urban district from 1894 until 1974. It is on the south ...
in
Tyneside Tyneside is a built-up area across the banks of the River Tyne in northern England. Residents of the area are commonly referred to as Geordies. The whole area is surrounded by the North East Green Belt. The population of Tyneside as published i ...
, England. The ferry's large train deck facilitated its conversion into a hospital ship. Over the next few years, at a final cost of over , the ''Dronning Ingrid'' was transformed into the ''Africa Mercy'', which was the largest non-governmental hospital ship in the world until the construction of the ''Global Mercy'' in 2020. Although Mercy Ships has now retired all its earlier ships, the ''Africa Mercy'' has greater capacity than all three of its previous ships combined.


Facilities

The lower decks of the eight-deck ''Africa Mercy'' are a modern hospital with five
operating theater An operating theater (also known as an operating room (OR), operating suite, or operation suite) is a facility within a hospital where surgical operations are carried out in an aseptic environment. Historically, the term "operating theater" refe ...
s, an
Intensive Care Unit 220px, Intensive care unit An intensive care unit (ICU), also known as an intensive therapy unit or intensive treatment unit (ITU) or critical care unit (CCU), is a special department of a hospital or health care facility that provides intensiv ...
, an
Ophthalmology Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a medic ...
unit, a
CT scanner A computed tomography scan (CT scan; formerly called computed axial tomography scan or CAT scan) is a medical imaging technique used to obtain detailed internal images of the body. The personnel that perform CT scans are called radiographers ...
,
x-ray An X-ray, or, much less commonly, X-radiation, is a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 10  picometers to 10  nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30&nb ...
, laboratories, and a recovery ward with beds for . In addition to the ship's lab capabilities, ship physicians can consult with
pathologists A list of people notable in the field of pathology. A * John Abercrombie, Scottish physician, neuropathologist and philosopher. * Maude Abbott (1869–1940), Canadian pathologist, one of the earliest women graduated in medicine, expert in co ...
in the U.S. via
satellite communications A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunication signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Earth. C ...
. On its upper decks, the ship has accommodations for members including families, couples and individuals. The ship has , a day care center, a school for all ages up through the last year of high school, a library, a launderette, a small supermarket, a restaurant, a gymnasium, shops, and a donated
Starbucks Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain. As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
café. A fleet of travels with the ship, for use in Mercy Ships land-based operations. The initial provisions that were loaded aboard the ''Africa Mercy'' included of breakfast cereal, of coffee, and of frozen meat and fish (which was an estimated four months' supply). Today, the supply chain for the ''Africa Mercy'' stretches halfway across the globe. To keep the ''Africa Mercy'' provisioned involves shipping to the floating hospital at least 24 containers per year, equipped with everything from medical devices and medical supplies to food and furniture. Containers are filled at Mercy Ships headquarters in
Garden Valley, Texas Garden Valley is a crossroads community in Smith County about 7 miles west of Lindale, Texas. It is 79 miles east of Dallas. Historically, prior to the formation of nearby town of Van (6 miles west of Garden Valley) in the late 1920s, when oil ...
, and shipped from the port of
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, or they are filled and shipped from
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
in the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. Temperature-sensitive supplies like
vaccines A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity The adaptive immune system, also known as the acquired immune system, is a subsystem of the immune system that is composed of specialized, systemic cells and pro ...
and media plates are often transported via air, in rolling ice chests that travel with Mercy Ships staffers who are en route to the ''Africa Mercy''.


Medical and surgical care

The ship is set up to provide onboard surgical care, an
Intensive care unit 220px, Intensive care unit An intensive care unit (ICU), also known as an intensive therapy unit or intensive treatment unit (ITU) or critical care unit (CCU), is a special department of a hospital or health care facility that provides intensiv ...
, and a recovery ward. Land-based medical operations provide patient screenings for surgeries, health and dental care, mental health programs, and
palliative care Palliative care (derived from the Latin root , or 'to cloak') is an interdisciplinary medical caregiving approach aimed at optimizing quality of life and mitigating suffering among people with serious, complex, and often terminal illnesses. Wit ...
for
terminally ill Terminal illness or end-stage disease is a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and is expected to result in the death of the patient. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as cancer, dementia or advanced he ...
patients. The operating rooms of the ''Africa Mercy'' are equipped for specific surgeries that are greatly needed in the countries that the ship visits. These surgeries can also be performed efficiently and repeatedly.Susan Stewart, "Jennifer Brodie and Brian Anderson...serving the world's poor one volunteer at a time," article, ''JournalPLUS'', June 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2011 Conditions treated onboard the ship include head and neck
tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...
s,
goiter A goitre, or goiter, is a swelling in the neck resulting from an enlarged thyroid gland. A goitre can be associated with a thyroid that is not functioning properly. Worldwide, over 90% of goitre cases are caused by iodine deficiency. The term is ...
s,
hernia A hernia is the abnormal exit of tissue or an organ (anatomy), organ, such as the bowel, through the wall of the cavity in which it normally resides. Various types of hernias can occur, most commonly involving the abdomen, and specifically the gr ...
s,
cleft lip and palate A cleft lip contains an opening in the upper lip that may extend into the nose. The opening may be on one side, both sides, or in the middle. A cleft palate occurs when the palate (the roof of the mouth) contains an opening into the nose. The ...
,
cataract A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye that leads to a decrease in vision. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colors, blurry or double vision, halos around light, trouble w ...
s, bowed legs (
genu varum Genu varum (also called bow-leggedness, bandiness, bandy-leg, and tibia vara) is a varus deformity marked by (outward) bowing at the knee, which means that the lower leg is angled inward ( medially) in relation to the thigh's axis, giving the ...
),
club foot Clubfoot is a birth defect where one or both feet are rotated inward and downward. Congenital clubfoot is the most common congenital malformation of the foot with an incidence of 1 per 1000 births. In approximately 50% of cases, clubfoot aff ...
,
burn A burn is an injury to skin, or other tissues, caused by heat, cold, electricity, chemicals, friction, or ultraviolet radiation (like sunburn). Most burns are due to heat from hot liquids (called scalding), solids, or fire. Burns occur mainl ...
s and burn scars, childbirth injuriesMary Nugent, "Chico couple volunteers on floating hospital ship in Africa," article, ChicoER.com, 18 July 2011, http://www.cataractssurgery101.com/chico-couple-volunteers-on-floating-hospital-in-africa.html. Retrieved 31 August 2011. and the gangrene-like childhood disease called
noma Noma, NoMa, or NOMA may refer to: Places * NoMa, the area North of Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C., US ** NoMa–Gallaudet U station, on Washington Metro * Noma, Florida, US * NOMA, Manchester, a redevelopment in England * Noma Distr ...
. Because medical care is so scarce in the countries that Mercy Ships serves, these medical conditions often become severe enough to be disfiguring, which means that patients are often shunned by their communities.Angie Holmes, "Marion nurse volunteers on floating hospital in West Africa," article, ''Eastern Iowa Life,'' 18 June 2011, http://easterniowalife.com/2011/06/18/159150/. Retrieved 31 August 2011. The surgical correction of their medical problems assists patients in reintegrating with their communities and resuming normal lives. On land, a screening clinic is set up to evaluate potential patients for surgeries, often in a large area like a sports arena. Volunteers set up medical and dental clinics to treat people in the surrounding communities. A HOPE Center established near the ship provides extended medical care to patients. In addition, volunteers train local healthcare workers in providing primary healthcare, and they teach workers to train others in providing healthcare.


Infrastructure projects

Beyond providing free surgical, medical, and dental care, the mission of Mercy Ships involves partnering with local governments in the nations they serve to improve local healthcare infrastructure. Developing medical facilities on land, donating medical equipment, and training local personnel are key ways through which Mercy Ships facilitates sustainable medical care that can continue long after their ships depart from their host countries. Expanding medical capacity typically includes renovating healthcare facilities in developing nations, as well as improving access to safe, affordable healthcare. Mercy Ships development teams collaborate with local leaders, governments, and the national ministries of health to evaluate healthcare infrastructure needs and design projects that support the surgical ecosystem in a partner hospital, or multiple hospitals. Throughout its decades of operation, Mercy Ships has supported various medical projects such as the construction or renovation of hospital surgical wards, clinic facilities and equipment for service, new maternity units, and operating theatres. The renovation of healthcare facilities is paired with medical professional mentoring and training courses, both on ship and in-country, designed to improve the quality of services across an entire hospital setting.


Volunteer crew

Like past Mercy Ships vessels, the ''Africa Mercy'' is staffed entirely by volunteer crewmembers. Mercy Ships volunteers assume responsibility for all the costs of their trip to the ''Africa Mercy'', including round-trip airfare and other travel costs, immunizations, passports, insurance, and fees for room and board. Approximately 400 people live and work onboard the ''Africa Mercy'' during its field service period. In addition to surgical and medical services, volunteers handle every task in the daily life of the ship, including crew operations, maintenance and repairs, cooking, housekeeping, childcare, teaching, and the Mercy Ships health education and infrastructure development projects that take place on land. Volunteer postings for a wide range of jobs generally range from two weeks to two years in length. In addition, some crewmembers serve as permanent staff on board the ship for the entire 10 months of each field service. Annually Mercy Ships has more than 1,600 volunteers helping in locations around the world. That includes more than 900 volunteers from 60 nations serving each year in Africa with 400 of those onboard the ''Africa Mercy'' at any given time. During each field service, approximately 200 local employees from the present host nation also serve as day workers on the ship. Volunteer crewmembers can also choose to serve as blood donors for the ship's surgical procedures. When they arrive at the ship, they may volunteer to have their blood types tested and recorded. They are paged when surgeries requiring their blood types are scheduled, and they donate blood immediately before the procedure.


Field service history

In 2007, the ship made her official maiden voyage to
Monrovia Monrovia () is the capital city of the West African country of Liberia. Founded in 1822, it is located on Cape Mesurado on the Atlantic coast and as of the 2008 census had 1,010,970 residents, home to 29% of Liberia’s total population. As the ...
,
Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...
, from the shipyard in England. The ''Africa Mercy'' remained in Liberia for her 2008 Field Service. In 2009, the ship was docked in
Cotonou Cotonou (; fon, Kútɔ̀nú) is a city in Benin. Its official population count was 679,012 inhabitants in 2012; however, over two million people live in the larger urban area. The urban area continues to expand, notably toward the west. The ci ...
,
Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
from February to December, providing free surgeries and medical care. Mercy Ships also worked with Beninese citizens on agriculture and water development projects. Early in 2010, the ship was docked in
Lomé Lomé is the capital and largest city of Togo. It has an urban population of 837,437
,
Togo Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its c ...
for the 2010 Field Service. In August 2010, the ''Africa Mercy'' went into shipyard in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
, where it was equipped with new, more efficient generators. The ''Africa Mercy'' served in
Freetown Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, educational and p ...
,
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...
for 10 months for her 2011 Field Service. At the conclusion of each Field Service, the ''Africa Mercy'' goes in to dry dock, where it is resupplied and receives any needed repairs or upgrades before heading to her next port of call. In December 2011/January 2012 the maintenance period was spent in Ghana. ''Africa Mercy'' was operating in Lomé, Togo from January to June 2012, then in
Conakry Conakry (; ; sus, Kɔnakiri; N’ko: ߞߐߣߊߞߙߌ߫, Fula: ''Konaakiri'' 𞤑𞤮𞤲𞤢𞥄𞤳𞤭𞤪𞤭) is the capital and largest city of Guinea. A port city, it serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea. Its p ...
,
Guinea Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the we ...
from August 2012 to June 2013. The ''Africa Mercy'' was docked in Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo, from August 2013 to June 2014. The ''Africa Mercy'' was docked in Toamasina, Madagascar from October 2014 until June 2015. The vessel returned to Madagascar in October 2015 was docked there until June 2016. The ''Africa Mercy'' was in Cotonou, Benin from August 2016 through June 2017. The ''Africa Mercy'' was docked in Douala, Cameroon, from August 2017 through June 2018. The ''Africa Mercy'' was docked in Conakry, Guinea from August 2018 through June 2019. The ''Africa Mercy'' was docked in Dakar, Senegal from August 2019 through March 2020. In March 2021 it was docked in
Port of Granadilla The Puerto Industrial de Granadilla is a port located in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona in the southeast of the island of Tenerife (Spain). It is a complementary work of the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and intended to provide necessar ...
, Tenerife. In February 2022, the ''Africa Mercy'' arrived in Dakar, Senegal for a scheduled 10-month field service.


In pop culture

A 2014
documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...
and 2016 documentary TV series, both titled "
The Surgery Ship ''The Surgery Ship'' is a documentary film (2013) directed by Madeleine Hetherton-Miau and documentary television series (2016) directed by Alex Barry based on the real life events filmed on board the hospital ship the "MV Africa Mercy, Africa M ...
", were created based on the real-life events filmed onboard the MV ''Africa Mercy''. My Mercy Box is a Norwegian documentary series about eight-year-old Fride Tvedt, who lives aboard the hospital ship MS Africa Mercy.


Sisterships

The ''Dronning Ingrid'' is the third of three identical ships built for
DSB DSB may refer to: Science, technology and devices * DsbA, a bacterial member of the Dsb (disulfide bond) family of enzymes * Double strand break, a break in both DNA strands, part of DNA repair * in telecommunications, double-sideband transmission ...
. The other ships are the ''Kronprins Frederik'' and the ''Prins Joachim''.


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Africa Mercy Hospital ships 1979 ships