World’s largest hospital ship begins free surgery for 4,745 Ghanaians

"It is, therefore, important that we view the arrival of the Global Mercy not as a stand-alone intervention, but as a collaborative effort to support and accelerate Ghana's own national priorities," the minister said, adding that the true measure of success would be the field service's lasting impact on patients, healthcare workers and institutions, long after the ship departs.

Mercy Ships, she said, had trained close to 3,000 Ghanaian healthcare professionals and delivered over 2,500 surgical procedures in the country since 1991, including support last year for the Ghana Surgical Dialogue, which convened national and international leaders on surgical, obstetric and anaesthesia care.

Dr White said the organisation would work closely with the Ministry of Health, universities and healthcare institutions, including the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Ghana College of Nursing and Midwifery, to align the field service with Ghana's national priorities and to offer postgraduate training placements aboard the ship.