Looking Back at the Key Moments of 2025
In 2025, we continued our mission by providing quality surgical care aboard our two hospital ships and strengthening our local partnerships. Mercy Ships Switzerland is deeply grateful for your support throughout the year.
Operating simultaneously in two countries for the second consecutive year, Mercy Ships expanded its programs, strengthened strategic partnerships, and deepened its commitment to developing sustainable surgical capacity across the African continent.
This year, the ships welcomed more than 3,240 volunteers from 75 countries and 2,120 national crew members. These surgeons, nurses, dentists, cooks, engineers, and many others contributed their skills to make safe, free surgical care accessible.
By the end of 2025, Mercy Ships had cared for over 2,800 patients who received 3,000 surgical procedures performed by volunteer surgeons on both ships. From maxillofacial, orthopedic, and gynecological surgeries to cataract removals, patients underwent procedures that restored their health and transformed their lives.
A Lasting Commitment in Host Countries
Beyond direct medical services, Mercy Ships has continued its long-term commitment to strengthening local health systems. This year, 830 healthcare professionals from 13 African countries participated in training programs. One notable partnership was established with the Gamal Abdel Nasser University in Conakry, Guinea, which expanded access to basic oral health care by training local professionals to perform 15,200 dental procedures for over 2,000 patients.
Participants in these programs came from Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, and Uganda. Their engagement will help strengthen surgical capacity for future generations.
Mercy Ships also supported medical initiatives led by the governments of its partner countries. This year, Sierra Leone presented its national plans for surgery, obstetrics, and anesthesia (NSOAP) at PASHeF, a platform dedicated to strengthening African health systems and promoting African leadership in advancing healthcare development. Both the NSOAP and PASHeF processes were implemented with major contributions from Mercy Ships.
The Africa Mercy and Global Mercy Undergo Renovations
The Africa Mercy has recently entered its annual maintenance period and will return to Tamatave, Madagascar, in May 2026 for a third consecutive mission. During this maintenance period, the ship will be dry-docked and receive upgrades to its hospital equipment and systems. This extended maintenance period will allow the ship to maximize its surgical capacity for its upcoming mission in Madagascar.
In Sierra Leone, the Global Mercy will complete its current service in May 2026 before entering its annual maintenance, then continue its mission in Ghana in August 2026 for the NGO’s fifth visit to the country. Mercy Ships expresses its deep gratitude for the ongoing support of the governments of Madagascar, Sierra Leone, and Ghana.
A Major Milestone in 2025
Mercy Ships is also entering a new chapter in its organization with the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Michelle White. Drawing on her experience in the medical field and as a volunteer aboard the ships, Dr. White brings deep insight into the NGO’s operational needs and the realities faced by patients in Africa.
Thanks to the unwavering commitment of donors, volunteers, and supporters, Mercy Ships enters 2026 with a clear vision, ready to provide safe, free surgical care to those who need it most.
- 5 January 2026
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