Hospital

The Hospital provides free surgical treatment that reduces the backlog of surgical need in the host-country, directly saving lives, reducing disability and increasing social and economic inclusion for our patients. 

We provide surgery in the following specialties:  Maxillofacial, Head and Neck;  General; Orthopedic; Reconstructive Plastics, Pediatrics, Ophthalmic and Women’s Health.

When patients will not benefit from surgery on board, due to a terminal illness, they may be referred to the Palliative Care team for ongoing support through the end of life process.

The Hospital comprises of four main wards and four main Operating Rooms, and includes support services such as a Medical Laboratory, Radiology, Biomedical services, Pharmacy, Rehabilitation, as well as the Admissions, Outpatients and Screening sectors. The Hospital also supports the Hospital Outpatient Extension (HOPE) Center, based ashore with the Africa Mercy, where the patients who have travelled from outside of the port city where the ship is located can stay between appointments.

The Hospital is the largest department on board for Crew numbers, including the Operating Room Crew. On the Africa Mercy, the hospital is located on Deck 3, and utilizes tents on the dock for Rehab, Screening, Admissions and Outpatients. The Global Mercy hospital is located over two decks, and includes a Low Care Unit, similar to the HOPE Center. The Global Mercy also includes a training simulation lab to benefit our Medical Capacity Building efforts.

The Wards have 84 beds, with space for a caregiver of each patient to stay on a mattress underneath the patient’s bed. Some patient visits last a day, and some can stay for months, depending on their condition and the requirement for treatment. The Hospital is also equipped with an Intensive Care Unit for our sickest patients, and a Crew Clinic and Dental Clinic for the Crew to receive care and treatment as necessary, also.