The Ghana Health Service has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening access to quality surgical and specialised healthcare as the Global Mercy begins a 10-month field service in Ghana.
The commitment was highlighted during a Partners’ Welcome Aboard the Global Mercy held on Thursday, 3 September 2026, at Berth 6 of the Port of Tema. The engagement brought together health sector leaders, partners and key stakeholders to welcome the hospital ship to Ghana and reaffirm a shared commitment to improving access to specialised healthcare.
Representing the Ghana Health Service, the Director-General, Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, highlighted the importance of the Global Mercy mission at a time when Ghana is intensifying efforts to take healthcare services directly to communities through the Free Primary Health Care initiative.
He explained that the Free Primary Health Care approach goes beyond providing services at health facilities, with a strong emphasis on health promotion, disease prevention and home-based engagement. Through home visits, health workers will interact directly with households, assess their living environments and provide advice on healthier lifestyles and preventive practices, while also conducting basic health checks such as blood pressure screening.
The approach, which incorporates a One Health perspective that recognises the interconnection between human, animal and environmental health, is also expected to improve the early identification of health conditions among people who may not have known they were ill or, for various reasons, had not sought care at health facilities.
According to the Director-General, this expanded reach is expected to result in a significant increase in the number of people being referred to and accessing health facilities, with projections indicating that patient attendance could increase by about 35 percent.
He noted that the increased access and early detection would inevitably lead to the identification of more people living with chronic conditions and other health needs requiring specialised care.
It is against this backdrop that the presence of the Global Mercy presents a timely opportunity for the Ghana Health Service and Mercy Ships to further align their activities and explore how the specialised services provided through the mission can complement the increased demand for care generated through national health initiatives.
The Ghana Health Service therefore sees the collaboration as an important opportunity to complement ongoing national efforts to expand access to safe, equitable and quality surgical care, particularly as the health system prepares to respond to an anticipated increase in referrals and demand for specialised services.
The Global Mercy mission is expected to provide between 1,950 and 2,600 surgeries and between 1,610 and 2,145 dental treatments at no cost to beneficiaries during its 10-month stay in Ghana.
Beyond direct patient care, the mission places significant emphasis on strengthening Ghana’s health workforce. An estimated 100 to 250 Ghanaian healthcare professionals are expected to benefit from education, mentorship and clinical placement opportunities, providing them with opportunities to work and learn alongside international specialists.
Dr. Akoriyea emphasised the need for both institutions to return to the drawing table to determine how best the vision of the Ghana Health Service can be aligned with the activities of Mercy Ships. Such alignment, he noted, would help ensure that the specialised services and expertise available through the Global Mercy are strategically positioned to support national priorities and respond to emerging healthcare needs.
The collaboration also supports the objectives of Ghana’s National Surgical, Obstetric and Anaesthesia Plan (NSOAP), which seeks to improve access to safe, affordable and quality surgical services across the country.
A key component of the partnership is knowledge transfer and capacity building. Through collaboration among Mercy Ships, the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, universities and professional institutions, Ghanaian healthcare professionals will have opportunities to strengthen their competencies and gain practical experience in specialised areas of care.
This approach is expected to extend the benefits of the mission beyond the immediate surgeries and dental treatments, contributing to the long-term strengthening of Ghana’s health workforce and healthcare institutions.
The current mission builds on more than three decades of collaboration between Ghana and Mercy Ships. Since its first field service in Ghana in 1991, Mercy Ships has contributed to the provision of specialised surgical care and the training and development of healthcare professionals in the country.
The Partners’ Welcome Aboard the Global Mercy therefore provided more than an opportunity to welcome the vessel to Ghana. It served as a platform for stakeholders to reaffirm their shared commitment to strengthening partnerships that respond to the country’s evolving healthcare needs and contribute to sustainable improvements in health outcomes.
With the Free Primary Health Care initiative bringing healthcare closer to households and improving the identification and referral of people requiring further care, the collaboration with Mercy Ships provides an additional avenue to strengthen the specialised end of the healthcare system.
The Ghana Health Service remains committed to working with the Ministry of Health, development partners, civil society organisations, academic institutions and other stakeholders to build a resilient, responsive and people-centred health system that ensures every Ghanaian has access to the care they need.
The Global Mercy’s 10-month mission therefore represents an opportunity not only to provide life-changing surgical and dental interventions, but also to deepen partnerships, strengthen the health workforce, facilitate knowledge transfer and support Ghana’s broader efforts to achieve universal access to quality healthcare.