Mercy Ships
Overall goals
Providing free surgery to those without hope of paying for treatment. Speciaties covered are Maxillo-facial surgery, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, dentistry, obstetric fistula surgery and general surgery.
Key UK Colleagues and Partners
NHS Fife, Mercy Ships
International Partners
Mercy Ships
Sustainable development goals
- SDG 3 - Good health and well-being
- SDG 5 - Gender equality
- SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth
- SDG 10 - Reduced inequalities
Funding source
Self funded
Project origin
Heard about them from a colleague.
Evidence of need
The countries Mercy Ships works in are some of the poorest in the world and patients with deforming conditions receive no free healthcare and are usually too poor to pay for it. Also the operations they need are usual not available in their countries.
Project areas
Anaesthetics
Project activities
Two week placement
Changes
Changes to individual patients’ lives and building more sustainable services in those countries (the organisation usually does health education and sometimes builds clinics while the ship is in a particular country).
Next steps
Am going back next year to work in Guinea on the ship.
Challenges
N/A
Mitigating challenges
Special leave arrangements to cover contributions to the charity work
Project gains
- leadership
- teamwork
- clinical
- awareness
- academic
- patient
- resilience