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Volunteer hospital ship treats hundreds

    ABIDJAN

    A volunteer hospital ship has given free medical treatment, relief and development aid to thousands of needy patients during its four-month stay in Sierra Leone, the Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest situation update on the country.

    The medical team on board Mercy Ship Anastasia, which is due to sail on 14 March, has perfomed surgical operations on over 500 patients while its mobile dental team has treated over 1,700 people, OCHA said on Wednesday. The ship is equipped with operating theatres and two wards with 46 beds. The medical team also assisted community health teams in vaccination programmes targeting over 2,000 adults and children.

    Through their relief and development programme, The Anastasia offered training in carpentry, masonry and welding in the capital Freetown, and provided materials and expertise to construct a medical clinic. Training was also offered in community health, water and sanitation.

    The Anastasia, along with two other Mercy Ships, is manned by non-salaried professionals and equipped through donations. Mercy Ships is an international, inter-denominational Christian organisation.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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