Mercy Ships is targeting more than 2,000 free surgeries and about 3,500 dental treatments during its 10-month medical mission in Ghana, the humanitarian organisation has announced, as it seeks to extend specialist care to patients who might otherwise never access it.
Dame Anne Gloag, a trustee of Mercy Ships, disclosed the targets during an engagement with President John Dramani Mahama aboard the Global Mercy at Tema Harbour. She said about 200 patients had already undergone surgery, with thousands more expected to be treated during the ship’s stay. The procedures include cataract surgeries, cleft lip and palate repairs, tumour removals and childhood orthopaedic operations.
President Mahama said the mission’s impact went beyond the operations themselves, particularly for children whose conditions had affected their confidence and participation in everyday life.
“You can imagine that child going back. He has been the butt of jokes of his friends because he has got curved legs or clubfoot or something like that, and when he leaves this ship and goes back, he is going to be on that football field with his friends playing like any ordinary child,” he said.
The President called for the mission to leave a lasting benefit for Ghana’s health system through skills transfer and stronger follow-up care. He urged the Ministry of Health to work with Mercy Ships on patient referrals, rehabilitation and continued treatment after the vessel departs.
“A patient’s care must continue safely even after Global Mercy has left,” he stressed.
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the government would work to maximise the benefits of the ship’s 10-month stay, including support for emergency cases and post-surgery care. He described the partnership as a strategic one aligned with Ghana’s national health priorities.
The current mission is Mercy Ships’ fifth deployment to Ghana since 1991, when the organisation first worked alongside Ghana’s leadership aboard its flagship vessel, the Anastasis. Previous field services were held in 1991, 1994–1995, 2006–2007 and 2011–2012.
Across those four earlier missions, Mercy Ships delivered more than 2,600 surgeries and over 16,700 dental procedures while supporting the training of 139 Ghanaian health professionals. The organisation also supported Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic with emergency donations of personal protective equipment and provided resources for the Ghana Surgical Dialogue in 2025.
The Global Mercy arrived at the Port of Tema on 17 August 2026 following a field service in Sierra Leone and scheduled maintenance. The 174-metre, 37,856-ton vessel is the world’s largest purpose-built civilian hospital ship, with six operating rooms, 199 patient beds and a 7,000-square-metre hospital area.
It is crewed by volunteers from more than 70 countries, including surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists, engineers, teachers, cooks and maritime professionals. The ship also houses state-of-the-art training spaces, including a simulation laboratory with virtual and augmented reality, mannequins and simulated post-operative care facilities designed to teach best practices in low-resource settings.
Ghanaian volunteers remain central to the Mercy Ships mission. Among them is Hospital Chaplain “Mama” Clementine, one of the organisation’s longest-serving crew members, who first encountered Mercy Ships in the 1990s and joined the crew in 1997.
“Nearly 30 years ago, Mercy Ships captured my heart,” she said. “Seeing people from around the world come together to serve Africa inspired me to dedicate my own life to this mission. Today, returning to Ghana feels like coming home. It is a privilege to serve my own people and to welcome every patient with dignity, compassion and hope.”
The mission comes as Ghana continues to face significant gaps in surgical care despite having one of West Africa’s stronger health systems. The country’s National Surgical, Obstetric and Anaesthesia Plan, launched in 2024, aims to address those gaps, but millions still face barriers to timely, safe and affordable surgery.
According to Ghana Health Service data, the country has only about 200 physician anaesthesiologists and orthopaedic surgeons, and close to 500 trained dental professionals nationwide. Surgical specialists remain unevenly distributed, with rural populations facing the greatest barriers.
Financial constraints compound the problem. Ghanaian patients bear up to 91 per cent of medical costs themselves, while health insurance covers only up to 14 per cent of treatment expenses. More than 77 per cent of surgical operations performed in Ghana are life-saving procedures, most carried out in district hospitals that often lack essential surgical equipment.
Beyond immediate surgery, Mercy Ships is working to strengthen Ghana’s healthcare system through education and workforce development. An estimated 100 to 250 Ghanaian healthcare professionals are expected to take part in clinical mentoring, education and professional development during the field service. The organisation is collaborating with national institutions, including the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, to support postgraduate education and clinical placements aboard the ship.
“Returning to Ghana is the continuation of a trusted partnership,” said Michael Nkeze, Mercy Ships Country Director for Ghana. “Together with the Ministry of Health and our national partners, we are investing not only in life-changing surgery for today’s patients, but also in stronger surgical systems that will benefit future generations.”
For patients, the mission offers more than medical treatment. Samuel, a 59-year-old mechanical fitter from Kumasi, lost his vision to cataracts in 2025 and was unable to work or care for his five children. “I will be happy to be the first person to receive the surgery and see properly!” he said before his operation.
Five-year-old Joseph, who has lived with knock knees for most of his young life, represents another life the mission hopes to transform. His father had suggested delaying his school enrolment for fear he would be mocked. “Being here gives him hope that his legs will be fixed and that he can finally go to school,” his mother said.
The Global Mercy is expected to remain docked in Tema until June 2027. As the mission continues, its success will be measured not only in the number of surgeries and dental treatments delivered, but in whether its legacy endures in Ghana’s health system long after the ship has sailed.
