The renewal of a partnership agreement between two leading faith-based medical charities will see isolated communities across Africa receive life-changing surgical care, extending their reach further inland and across a broader spectrum of the continent's population.
The memorandum of agreement between Mercy Ships and Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), which was launched in Madagascar, renews a previous partnership that ran from 2014 to 2016, with the two organisations also working together in Liberia.
Mercy Ships operates state-of-the-art hospital ships that offer free surgeries and healthcare services to sub-Saharan nations that have limited access to safe surgical care. The logistical support provided by Mission Aviation Fellowship will allow the Mercy Ships teams to access hard-to-reach parts of Madagascar and provide transport for patients needing critical surgical interventions.
"Traveling by road in Madagascar can be incredibly challenging due to the rough terrain and poor infrastructure," Michael Jurgensen, MAF Madagascar Country Director, said. "In many cases, reaching remote villages can take days by car, draining valuable time and energy.
"However, with MAF Madagascar's support, the [Mercy Ships] patient selection team can cover vast distances swiftly and safely, enabling them to visit multiple locations within a short period.
"Flying not only saves time for the selection team but also ensures the team can travel to evaluate and select patients from the most isolated areas for surgery on-ship at a later date."
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Madagascar has only one surgeon per 100,000 people, making receiving necessary surgical treatment unattainable for many people. According to a 2016 study from BMJ Global Health, only a fifth of the population can receive surgical services within a two-hour window, while 95% would be financially ruined if they required surgery.
"By transporting Mercy Ships teams with our aircraft to the interior of Madagascar, we provide help, hope and healing to residents with the surgical care they desperately need," Bastiaan de Waal, Africa Regional Director of MAF, said.
"The need is high in these areas, and these people in isolated communities are equally entitled to care. We are pleased to partner alongside Mercy Ships to support this often-forgotten group."
Mercy Ships' hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, has been docked at Toamasina, the capital of the Atsinanana region on the east coast of Madagascar, since February. Its teams have been actively collaborating with Madagascar's Ministry of Health to identify the most pressing needs and have been delivering surgery and training.
Bernard van den Bosch, who has worked for both MAF and Mercy Ships, and is currently the Director of the Africa Services Centre at Mercy Ships, is enthusiastic about the partnership, with further joint initiatives being explored in other African nations.
"We are confidently re-engaging with MAF because together we are stronger. The country of Madagascar has many hard-to-reach areas, and MAF is the key to accessing them," he said.
"Non-profit organisations can 'compete', but ultimately, we all serve the same goal. I see many opportunities for future collaboration and intensive joint efforts."
