Mercy Ships – Rotary Foundation Strategic Partner Mercy Ships is a Rotary Foundation Strategic Partner and receives a packaged grant for disease prevention and treatment. The goals of the Strategic Partnership: To build local capacity through training opportunities for health care professionals. To provide surgical and other medical interventions to those in need. The Strategic partnership consists of Vocational Training Teams (VTTs) to support the professional development of doctors, surgeons and health care workers. Using a needs assessment done by Mercy Ships, the VTTs work with Mercy Ships to provide services and training. Training can be conducted on or off the ship in local hospitals or educational institutions. These teams help deliver free world class health care and capacity building to those without access in lesser developed countries.

Vocational Training Teams Team 1: Training 60 health care professionals in Ignace Deen and Donka Hospitals in Conakry, Guinea about disease control and reducing hospital infection Team 2: Training five senior surgeons and four first year ophthalmic physician interns from Guinea. Training in cataract surgery and related eye health topics was conducted at DESSO (University of Conakry – School of Ophthalmology) and Bartimé clinic in Conakry. During 2013 Congo field service there will be 3 Vocational Training Teams, details are still being confirmed. Rotary has currently funded two Vocational Training Teams serving with Mercy Ships including:

Rotary International Partnership With Mercy Ships The ophthalmic suite and lounge onboard the Africa Mercy Medical and pharmaceutical supplies and fuel for the generator. Funding of surgeries including maxillofacial and ophthalmic. Surgical capacity training of surgeons and other health care workers in Ghana, Benin, Togo, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Since 1987 Rotary International district clubs have supported Mercy Ships and have provided much needed funding for: