On Thursday, President John Dramani Mahama officially welcomed the Global Mercy Ships back to Ghana at the Tema Port. The ships arrived on August 18, 2026, for a 10-month field service in partnership with the Government of Ghana. The world's largest multi-purpose-built civilian hospital ships will offer free surgical care on board. This visit marks Mercy Ship's fifth deployment to Ghana since 1991.
The Global Mercy Ships will work closely with national partners to strengthen Ghana's surgical and anaesthetic systems. In addition to providing free surgeries, the ships will offer life-changing medical care to Ghanaians. Previous visits have facilitated over 2,600 life-altering surgeries, 16,700 dental procedures, and the professional development of 139 Ghanaian healthcare professionals. President Mahama expressed gratitude to the crew for returning to Ghana to provide free medical care.
During his official visit and tour of the Global Mercy Ships, President Mahama recounted emotional stories of patients who had undergone correctional surgeries. He noted that some patients, mostly children, had faced stigma and discrimination due to their deformities. However, the success of surgeries gave them hope, confidence, and joy. President Mahama thanked the facility and its crew for their generosity and humanism.
President Mahama urged all partners in the collaborative effort to make the visit count in the lives of patients and in strengthening Ghana's health systems. He thanked the donors, medical team, crew, volunteers, and Ghanaian partners for their generosity. The President noted that a patient who needed surgery would not have to give up because treatment was too far away or beyond their family's means.
The free care being offered on board the Mercy Ships will make a difference to patients and the people who care for them. President Mahama thanked Madam Dame Ann Gloag, the Lifetime Director of Mercy Ships International, and other officials for facilitating the visit. He acknowledged that the Mercy Ships had served Ghana on four previous visits, delivering over 2,600 surgeries and 16,700 dental procedures.
President Mahama noted that the visit would extend beyond the surgeries performed while the ship is in port. Ghanaian surgeons, anesthesia professionals, nurses, and other health workers would have the opportunity to learn alongside the team aboard the Mercy Ships. The President said the Government was expanding Free Primary Healthcare, strengthening the National Health Insurance Programme, and investing in hospitals and health workers.
President Mahama pledged the government's continuous support to facilitate the work of the medical team on board the Mercy Ships. Madam Dame Ann Gloag expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for his support in bringing the Mercy Ships Mission back to Ghana. The President expected the responsible ministries and agencies to work together to promptly facilitate and handle patient movement, medical supplies, and other operational arrangements.
Key points
- The Global Mercy Ships will provide free life-changing surgeries and medical care to Ghanaians for 10 months.
- This visit marks Mercy Ship's fifth deployment to Ghana since 1991, building on a legacy of impactful collaboration.
- The visit will strengthen Ghana's surgical and anaesthetic systems, and provide opportunities for Ghanaian healthcare professionals to learn alongside the team aboard the Mercy Ships.
