West Flemish anesthesiologist trains Senegalese doctors

It is a project of Mercy Ships, a hospital ship where doctors operate on people voluntarily and free of charge. Each year, 17 million people die because they do not receive safe surgical care. With a new campaign, Mercy Ships draws attention to safe surgery in Africa. Catherine works as an anesthesiologist at the AZ Delta in Roeselare. Five years ago she boarded Mercy Ships to Cameroon for the first time. The following year to Senegal. She is one of hundreds of volunteers, nurses and doctors who provide training to more than 1,000 local health workers each year.

Mercy Ships operates on more than 1,800 patients each year. The organization specializes in certain conditions and closely monitors patients. The charity organization has just built a second hospital ship. This way they can double the number of life-saving operations. Next year they will set course for Senegal and Sierra Leone.