By
Michele Witthaus |
Hospital ship charity Mercy Ships has received a donation of free seafarer training software from Norwegian company, Seagull.
Mercy Ships operates the world’s largest non-governmental hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, providing free health care, community development and other services in the developing world. The Africa Mercy can carry out approximately 7,000 surgeries each year and is currently completing a ten month field service deployment in Sierra Leone, before sailing to Ghana for a scheduled dry-docking in anticipation of six months’ field service in Togo.
“The donation from Seagull increases the skills of our crew, and the onboard training programmes will allow us to direct even more of our resources to the people of Africa,” said Arvid Solheim, national director – Mercy Ships Norway. “Prior to this donation it was necessary for Mercy Ships to fly crew away from the ship for training courses. The fact that the training is now available onboard our ship means the benefits of Seagull’s donation are two-fold.”
Captain Lance Savaria, director of sales and marketing at Seagull Norway, remarked: “We are very proud to make this practical contribution to such a worthy cause and look forward to supporting Mercy Ships well into the future. We urge others in the maritime community to provide their support in whatever way they can.”
Since 1978, Mercy Ships has provided services in developing nations valued at over £500 million and has treated more than half a million patients in village clinics.