Latest news with #MercyShips'
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A nonprofit is turning old cruise ships into floating hospitals — complete with operating rooms, pools, and family cabins
Nonprofit Mercy Ships converts cruise ships into floating hospitals. Its first ship was an Italian cruiseliner, while another was previously a train ferry. Its newest ship, Global Mercy, was built for the nonprofit — a $200 million project. Not all cruise ships are created equal. Instead of vacationers, some accommodate Olympic surfers, refugees, or, as is the case of Mercy Ships' two vessels, folks in need of surgery. Since 1978, Christian nonprofit Mercy Ships has operated a fleet of cruise ships turned floating hospitals, providing complimentary medical services to the countries they visit. Onboard, reminders of the vessels' past life, like pools and hair salons, remain in place. Instead of waterslides and theater shows, the ships now have schools, operating rooms, CT scanners, and ICU beds. Mercy Ships has operated 5 vessels in its 47 years. The first was a converted Italian cruise liner. The decision to use floating resorts was based on a simple fact: 40% of the world's population lives on a coastline. "Coastal, rural cities have high medical deserts because they face extreme isolation and lack of infrastructure," Kerry Peterson, the senior vice president of Mercy Ship's US office, told Business Insider in an email. The nonprofit provides its patients with dental care and seven surgery specialties, such as pediatric and women's health — all for free. Food, lodging, anesthesia, post-operation rehabilitation, and transportation are also complimentary, even if more than one operation is required. In addition, the ships also offer specialized postgraduate training to locals through partnered residencies, fellowships, and rotations. Mercy Ships currently has 2 vessels, Africa Mercy and Global Mercy. According to Peterson, the nonprofit provided 4,746 surgeries and 13,312 dental procedures and trained more than 900 healthcare workers in 2024. Both ships exclusively operate in African nations. Like any typical cruise liner, Africa and Global Mercy have an auditorium, pool, library, café, and store. But instead of operating as vacations at sea, the two ships are more "akin to floating cities," Peterson said, noting there are onboard mechanical and carpentry shops, post office, bank, gym, salon, and laundromat. The nonprofit received a donation in early 2024 to fund the construction of a new vessel. Its first ship, Africa Mercy, was previously a train ferry before finding a second life. Mercy Ships acquired the Danish vessel, then known as Dronning Ingrid, in 1999. Following a $62 million refurbishment, it was re-deployed as Africa Mercy in 2007. According to the nonprofit, as of June 2024, the floating hospital had performed more than 70,910 surgeries in countries such as Liberia, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, and Cameroon. The 12,917-square-foot deck that once accommodated trains now serves as the hospital. The space includes a pharmacy, a radiology lab, five operating rooms, 75 acute care beds, and five ICU beds. In addition to patient beds, Africa Mercy also has 159 cabins for 470 crew, although it sees about 1,000 volunteers — from surgeons to plumbers to housekeepers — throughout the year. Accommodation options include dorm-style cabins and rooms for couples and families. The second ship, Global Mercy, was built for the nonprofit. Mercy Ships began construction on its newest addition, Global Mercy, in 2015 — a $200 million investment, including the cost of equipment and the first patients. The nonprofit touts the 571-foot-long vessel, launched in 2022, as the largest civilian hospital vessel in the world. Larger than its predecessor, Global Mercy has 75,347 square feet of hospital space, including 102 acute care and seven ICU beds — in addition to a simulation lab for its training program. It provides surgical care to about 1,500 patients annually, having so far served patients in Senegal, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone. Global Mercy has 277 staterooms that can accommodate 640 crew. Its solo, double, couple, family, guest, and VIP cabins see about 1,500 volunteers annually. Peterson said Mercy Ships encourages its volunteers to explore the countries during their free time, whether grabbing dinner in town or staying overnight onshore — harkening back to the perks of a traditional cruise line. Read the original article on Business Insider
Zawya
07-03-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Empowering Women in Healthcare: How Matron Betsy Deen is Transforming Surgery in Sierra Leone
Tomorrow is International Women's Day, a time to celebrate the women shaping the future of healthcare across Africa. Among them is Matron Betsy Deen, a trailblazer in surgical care at Connaught Hospital, Sierra Leone's largest government hospital. Running a hospital isn't an easy task — it takes leaders carefully orchestrating a sea of moving parts to keep operations running smoothly. Matron Betsy Deen is that person at Connaught Hospital's surgical department in Freetown. As a Surgical Matron, Deen is not only leading surgical teams but also helping to elevate healthcare standards in Sierra Leone through training and collaboration. During international charity Mercy Ships' 2023-24 field service in Freetown, several training opportunities were offered through Education, Training, and Advocacy (ETA) programs, which helped strengthen the ties between Mercy Ships and Sierra Leone's healthcare network. As one of the medical professionals who came on board the Global Mercy ™ for training in Sierra Leone, Matron Deen became a familiar face who helped bridge the connection between Mercy Ships and the healthcare staff she oversees. This International Women's Day, Mercy Ships honors the contributions of women in healthcare who are leading change, breaking barriers, and transforming lives. Women like Matron Betsy Deen, who are at the heart of this mission — mentoring, educating, and strengthening healthcare systems from within. Breaking Barriers in Surgical Care Matron Betsy Deen has over three decades of experience in the surgical field, having started her nursing career in 1991 before specializing in perioperative nursing. Her leadership at Connaught Hospital has been instrumental in shaping the next generation of surgical nurses, ensuring that the country's healthcare system continues to strengthen. During her time aboard the Global Mercy, Matron Deen shadowed Mercy Ships nurses, nursing managers, and hospital staff, gaining insights into surgical services, hospital administration, and patient care processes. 'Through the ETA [program], I was able to broaden my horizon of knowledge on various areas such as team building, patient safety, patient satisfaction, administration in the operating theatre, and sterile processing,' she shared. Women Leading Change in Global Healthcare Across Africa, women in healthcare are driving transformational change, and Matron Deen's story is a powerful example. Her role is not only about managing surgical procedures but also about fostering an environment of continuous learning and improvement in healthcare services, ensuring that Sierra Leone's healthcare system can meet the needs of its population more effectively. As a result of the partnership with Mercy Ships, Matron Deen has expanded her knowledge and training to enhance medical capacity in Sierra Leone, something that directly impacts the country's development long after Mercy Ships sails to its next partner nation. 'The training that nurses are receiving [from Mercy Ships] is very important because the time that the nurse spends [provides them with the] opportunity to experience international standards. There are so many things for them to learn from the different hospital systems and processes that are in place,' Matron Deen explained. 'This is what I got from Mercy Ships. I was able to take training back from an international hospital and then I can explain or train others that wouldn't have the opportunity to come to the ship. And at the same time, I also look at myself as a whole and say, ' what can I do better? '' she said. Through her learning at Mercy Ships, Matron Deen has fine-tuned her own management style for her team at Connaught. Further, she has lobbied members of her own team to participate in training aboard the Global Mercy, so that local nurses gain valuable experience and knowledge they can then apply to their daily work to improve patient care. 'The most impactful to me was the opportunity to be part of the team briefing on the Global Mercy. The briefing takes place in the morning before the first case of the day, in the presence of all surgical team members to discuss plans. This is the organization structure that I brought back to my own team.' 'I really hope in the short term we can fully implement the processes I learned with Mercy Ships. Since I have been back, I have trained my team on how to understand our surgical schedules and lists better, how to anticipate cancellations, and how to address special needs, to name a few,' Deen explained. Strengthening Sierra Leone's Healthcare System "This partnership between Mercy Ships and the Ministry of Health is very important because it not only continues to carry out free surgeries for people in high need in Sierra Leone, but it also seeks to train healthcare personnel and gives them the opportunity to improve our knowledge," she said. By investing in the training and leadership of women like Matron Deen, Mercy Ships is helping to ensure that surgical care is not only accessible today but sustainable for generations to come. 'I am a surgical nurse. That's my specialty; that's my area. And yet we have so many people in Sierra Leone that cannot get access to proper surgical care for one reason or the other. So, this partnership between Mercy Ships and the Ministry is very important because it not only continues to carry out free surgeries for people in high need in Sierra Leone, it also seeks to train healthcare personnel and gives them the opportunity to improve our knowledge,' she explained. The long-term engagement with Mercy Ships is expected to have a significant positive impact on the healthcare system in Sierra Leone. Enhanced training and exposure to international standards of care will lead to better health outcomes and a more robust surgical system nationwide. 'We can focus on acquiring skills to implement at our facility level to strengthen our capacity. Training like this indirectly saves thousands of lives. And that is what Mercy Ships is doing, and I just think it's great,' Matron Deen explained. As Mercy Ships continues its work in Sierra Leone and Madagascar in 2025, it remains committed to empowering more women like Matron Deen—because when women in healthcare thrive, entire communities benefit. Whether you're a medical professional, engineer, or someone with a passion to serve, you've got something special to share – find your place on board today ( Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mercy Ships.
