Tema, Aug. 3, GNA - About 1,000 Ghanaians have so far benefited from the free health care services currently being provided by Mercy Ship, a global charity ship delivering world-class health care and community development services to the forgotten poor.
Among the beneficiaries were more than 270 patients, who have had their cataracts removed; 31 women with obstetric fistula operated on and many others who underwent various surgical operations including reconstructive and dental care within the Tema and Ashaiman communities.
Ms Jean Campbell, Health Care Manager onboard the Mercy Ship Anastasis, told members of the Media Communication and Advocacy Network (MCAN) that many more people with cleft lips and palates, disfiguring burns and outsized benign tumour were treated.
The MCAN group were led by a team of officials from the UNFPA to tour the Mercy Ship, which had been in the country on three occasions, to see at first hand, the services being provided by the team of medical experts to the people.
=93The charity operating hospital ship, one of the many fleets of hospital ships docked at the Tema Port in early June 2006. The ship would in addition to the health care services provide 13 major projects on developmental assistance and educational programmes to Tema and its environs.
The Ship would leave the country in February 2007 to Liberia to offer similar services to the people of Liberia.
Ms Campbell said screening of new cases with the exception of eye problems have been halted but more fistula cases would be screened and repaired in January 2007 before departure.
She commended the Government of Ghana for making their visit possible by waiving visa fee; providing free port services and security for the team among other things.
The Captain of the Ship, Mr Jurryan Schutte, commended MCAN members for the support they had given to the team by way of publicising to Ghanaians the arrival of the Ship.
Mrs Doris Aglobitse of the UNFPA expressed appreciation to the medical team for arriving in the country to help to restore the hope of the poor and vulnerable, especially, children and women with fistula cases, who had been neglected by society.