While we believe aid is necessary, strengthening the healthcare infrastructure of the continent will prevent disease outbreaks in the future. Dr. Pierre M’Pele, Director of the Africa Bureau for Mercy Ships, has been spearheading a number of COVID-19 relief efforts alongside our partner nations in Africa. “We should apply the lessons learned from the past, making sure that the people are not only the target of the interventions, but also, that they play a key role as agents of change. We should rely on the people.”
While our ship is currently unable to provide aid in our normal capacity, our Africa Bureau has been finding ways to continue serving those in need. Dr. Pierre M’Pele, Africa Bureau Director, recently presented a donation of PPEs to our colleague healthcare workers in the Republic of Togo. This donation marks a total of over 68,000 individual items donated during this time to assist in stopping the spread of COVID-19 in Africa.