October Update: All Around the Africa Mercy

All Around the Africa Mercy ~October 2018 Edition~

It's been almost 2 months since the ship landed in the country of Guinea! We've been off to a good but very busy start! While over 400 patients have received free surgery, it takes a while to get their stories and photos to share with you all. So I thought instead, we would take a little tour of what else is happening around Mercy Ships. Working in the hospital, I generally focus on those surgeries and patients, but there's lots to see outside of our wards and ORs too!! Last week, the screening team left the Africa Mercy and headed several hours up country to seek out patients from across the large country of Guinea. Several hundred patients were selected from two cities to come to the ship for further assessment. We ask you to join us in praying for the teams involved in a second screening trip coming in a few weeks. Please pray for: Safe travels for those staying away from the ship Wisdom and discernment for the screening team selecting potential patients The future patients who will receive surgery on the ship Security and safety at the sites  Sometimes the larger tumors our volunteer surgeons see are the result of a neglected dental problem, making the dental program such an important preventative aspect of the work of Mercy Ships. The focus of the program is the removal of decayed teeth and treatment of infections; they also provide cavity treatments, dental hygiene and partial dentures for some patients. This field service in Guinea, the dental team has the unique opportunity to hold their clinic inside a local dental school to provide training opportunities for local dentists, hygienists, sterilizers and denture makers. 1,600 patients have already received treatments and we look forward to supporting thousands more! Dental Clinic Before: an unused classroom at the Dental school sits in disrepair Dental Clinic After: a few repairs and cleaning made this space usable for patient assessments and treatments by the Mercy Ships Dental team Pediatric eye screening has now started in Guinea to find the young lives who have suffered with blindness due to cataracts. Because of your partnership, these children are given a second chance at a brighter future after surgery on the Africa Mercy! Most of these children are born with congenital cataracts due to genetic reasons or infection and grow up unable to see, work or go to school. Thanks to a simple, short surgery to remove these clouded lenses, we are able to celebrate new sight with hundreds of eye patients every year! Through our Medical Capacity Building program, we believe that leaving a lasting impact should be one of the core foundations of Mercy Ships. Courses are held throughout the country in areas such as Safe Surgery, Safe Anesthesia, Surgical Skills, BioMedical and Sterile Processing several times throughout the year. For further training, 1:1 mentoring for surgeons, anesthesiologists, therapists and dentists is also provided. This photo from the recent sterile processing course is just one of several classes held so far in Guinea. It’s not just surgeries that take place when the Africa Mercy is invited to a country. Here in Guinea, the Medical Capacity Building team is to thank for the fantastic HOPE Center renovation (Hospital Outpatient Extension Center) that houses patients before and after their surgeries. Having recently opened, it now looks forward to being filled with patients, all of whom will receive free surgery! Prayer Points: Ongoing surgeries each day on the ship in Maxillofacial, General, Ophthalmic and soon to start Orthopedic specialties Peace in Guinea as there are riots and protests occasionally happening here in the capital of Conakry against rising gas prices and other government issues Large turnover of crew members as many 2-3 month commitments end Health of the crew and a stop to several illnesses spreading around the ship