President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana has renewed its strategic partnership with the international charity Mercy Ships.

According to a press release published on presidency.gov.gh on September 11, 2025, the agreement will see the return of the Global Mercy Ship to Ghana in August 2026, where it will provide free specialised surgeries and intensive training for local healthcare professionals.

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President Mahama highlighted the partnership’s crucial role in strengthening the nation’s surgical care infrastructure.

“Health is not a luxury, it is the foundation of freedom and the currency of our dignity,” the president said.

He described the mission as a “strategic intervention” that will significantly complement government efforts to improve surgical care delivery across the country.

The renewed agreement was confirmed during a high-level meeting at the Presidency between President Mahama and a delegation from the Mercy Ships Board, led by Dame Ann Gloag.

When it docks at the Port of Tema, the Global Mercy will serve as a floating surgical hospital, offering a wide range of life-changing operations at no cost to patients.

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Beyond direct patient care, the mission will prioritise advancing Ghana’s national goals for safe surgical care through comprehensive training and mentorship programmes for surgeons, anaesthesiologists, nurses, and other medical personnel.

This approach aims to leave a lasting legacy of improved healthcare capacity long after the ship’s departure.

The 2026 visit will mark the fifth deployment of a Mercy Ship to Ghana since 1991. The organisation has a long history of impactful collaboration with the country, having facilitated more than 2,600 life-altering surgeries and 16,700 dental procedures, while contributing to the professional development of 139 Ghanaian healthcare professionals.

The meeting at the Presidency also included key figures such as Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh (MP) and Obuobia Darko-Opoku, Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, underscoring the government’s strong commitment to the partnership.

VPO/MA

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