The NGO Mercy Ships, in Spain, Naves de Esperanza (Ships of Hope), is shipping Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to 11 partner countries, in coordination with its European Distribution Center located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The shipments are destined for Benin, Cameroon, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Madagascar, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. The PPE is specified for distribution by the Ministries of Health in each country's ongoing fight against the pandemic, so that medical care can continue while keeping healthcare professionals safe.
The Ministry of Health in Guinea, in Conakry, received a donation of PPE from Mercy Ships – Ships of Hope in early January. The donation included 16,000 items valued at over €82,000, thanks to the shipping and port coordination provided by the MSC Foundation, part of the MSC Group. The delivery was made by Mr. Fode Doumbouya, Administration and Human Resources Manager of MSC Guinea, and Mr. David Ugai, Director of Mercy Ships in Guinea.
Representatives from Liberia's Ministry of Health joined the Honorable Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, Minister of Health, and Mr. Keith Brinkman, Director of Mercy Ships in Liberia, for a similar delivery in late January, which took place in Monrovia, Liberia.
“We are pleased to receive all these supplies, as well as those from neighboring countries, so they can continue their fight against COVID-19, while we do the same. Everything we received today will be used to protect healthcare professionals and combat COVID-19. We want to thank the MSC Foundation for making this delivery possible. We look forward to continuing this great collaboration… so that together we can protect the lives of the Liberian people,” said Dr. Jallah.
Providing this much-needed logistical support allows Mercy Ships to concentrate more resources on medical care and training. The MSC Foundation has supported Mercy Ships' work since 2011, with a special focus on Africa, including its participation in Mercy Ships' Cargo Day program.
“Together with the MSC Group, the MSC Foundation has taken swift action since the beginning of the pandemic to provide support worldwide to combat COVID-19 and help mitigate its impact on vulnerable groups. Our efforts will continue as long as the pandemic remains a threat. At this critical time, we are pleased to provide essential PPE to the nations with which Mercy Ships collaborates, bringing hope and healthcare to thousands of people who lack access to modern, safe, and surgical medical care,” said Daniela Picco, Executive Director of the MSC Foundation.
Each year, 18.6 million people die due to lack of access to surgical care, 93 percent of whom are from Africa. This partnership has helped Mercy Ships provide more than 18,000 surgeries that have transformed lives in sub-Saharan and central Africa, according to spokespeople for both organizations.
“For more than 30 years, Mercy Ships has worked hand in hand with our African partners to address the global surgical crisis. Throughout this fight against the pandemic, Mercy Ships continues to provide online medical training and support ongoing projects with partners on the ground. We are committed to bringing our hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, back to help strengthen health systems in West and Central Africa as soon as the global situation allows,” said Dr. Pierre M’Pele, Director of Mercy Ships’ Africa Office.
This is the second round of PPE donated; the first round took place in the spring of 2020.
