Mercy Ships to return to Ghana in 2026 for free surgeries

GHANA—The Government of Ghana and the international charity Mercy Ships have strengthened their ongoing partnership by announcing that the Global Mercy™ hospital ship will visit Ghana in August 2026.

During its stay at the Port of Tema, the ship will provide free specialized surgeries and offer training for healthcare professionals.

This initiative supports Ghana’s national objectives to improve safe surgical care across the country.

This mission marks Mercy Ships’ fifth visit to Ghana since 1991, reflecting over three decades of collaboration.

Throughout this partnership, Mercy Ships has performed more than 2,600 surgeries, carried out 16,700 dental procedures, and trained 139 healthcare workers in Ghana.

These efforts have significantly contributed to improving the country’s medical services.

The renewed commitment between Mercy Ships and Ghana was confirmed following a meeting between His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama and members of the Mercy Ships Board.

President Mahama emphasized that health is fundamental to freedom and dignity, calling it “the greatest public good.”

He expressed his enthusiasm for welcoming Mercy Ships back to Ghana next year to continue advancing healthcare.

During this field service, patients from various parts of Ghana will have the opportunity to receive essential surgeries at no cost.

Expected procedures include tumor removals, cleft lip and palate repairs, pediatric orthopedic surgeries, cataract treatments, reconstructive plastic surgeries, obstetric fistula repairs, as well as general and pediatric surgeries.

To facilitate this, a nationwide registration process will be launched to identify and schedule eligible patients in need of care.

Gary Brown, Chair of the Mercy Ships Board and Interim CEO, expressed honor in returning to Ghana, highlighting the strong history of collaboration between Mercy Ships and the country.

He stated that alongside the Ministry of Health and other partners, Mercy Ships looks forward to delivering life-changing surgeries and enhancing local surgical training programs.

These efforts aim to strengthen Ghana’s healthcare system sustainably for years to come.

Beyond providing surgeries, Mercy Ships has been actively involved in supporting Ghana’s National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anaesthesia Plan (NSOAP).

This collaboration with the Ministry of Health and national stakeholders focuses on improving healthcare systems nationwide.

Building on this foundation, Mercy Ships intends to continue working closely with the government to identify key areas where their ship-based and land-based programs—especially in education, training, and health systems development—can have the most impact.

With the Global Mercy hospital ship based in Ghana during its 2026 visit, these combined efforts will deepen the partnership and promote lasting improvements in surgical and healthcare capacity throughout the country.

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