The Legacy

Madagascar may have been memorable for us but for the thousands of lives touched by our crew, through the love of Jesus, the impact was far greater!

Women are dry, disfigured faces have been restored, burn contractures have been released, that tooth abscess that had become life threatening has been healed, bowed legs are straight again. Orphans have been blessed, the imprisoned have been ministered too, the blind can see, the elderly danced with joy and truth was spoken.

Thousands of people all across this vast nation, the 4^th largest island in the world, have had their lives altered forever. Many have not just had their bodies healed but their hearts as well, acknowledging and receiving their creator for the first time. Many, many times we were thanked by strangers on the street and our new friends alike, for all that Mercy Ships has done in their nation and for their people.

The medical capacity of Madagascar has increased exponentially as thousands of health care providers have been trained in various techniques, many of them lifesaving, such as the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist, Essential Surgical Skills, Primary Trauma Care, Safe Obstetric Anesthesia and Newborn Resuscitation, to name a few. Over 2,000 participants have benefited from this training during our time in Madagascar.

Dozens of young children have been released from the burden of club feet and hundreds more will be, through the newly established Ponseti program and clinic, Women will no longer be shamed, as a result of the training and mentoring of local nurses and surgeons in obstetric fistula care and surgery. We leave behind a legacy of a new Obstetric Fistula Clinic and operating theatre, recently handed over to the NGO “Freedom from Fistula Foundation”.

 

 

 

 

The Ponseti Clinic celebration! A time to rejoice over the more than 70 children healed of their club feet through the minimally invasive, but life changing Ponseti Method. Look at all those mammas and their beautiful babies, who now have a much brighter future!
(Photo cred: Suzanne Veltjens) 

Thousands will benefit from safe, sterile surgery without the usual high risk of infection, through a comprehensive transformation of the operating room block at the local CHUT hospital, leaving behind state of the art equipment and world class facilities. Additional renovations at the CHUT campus have included medical classrooms and a biomedical repair service.
Above, one of the newly renovated OR's in use. Below, before and after!
(Photo cred above and below: Ruben Plomp)
 

 

Locals will have better access to fresh fruit and vegetables for years and years to come, as first hand knowledge of sustainable, organic farming was taught through Mercy Ships “Food for Life” program. This knowledge will be passed on from generation to generation casting a wide net of knowledge and improve food security in Madagascar for the long term. Above, some of the "Food for Life" graduates, Mada 2.
 

For those of you who like visuals, here are a few fun pie charts! Let the numbers speak….

 

Also........

 

* 1017 Ponseti club foot procedures on 107 paediatric patients treated 

* 48 palliative care patients supported

* Basic oral and dental health instruction was given to 12,192 patients, caregivers and 

   students 

* Community health instruction to 4,146

* Chaplain’s counselling sessions to 6,772

* Nearly 8000 people were seen by pre-screeners in 11 different cities throughout

  the country as well as near the ship 

 

Combined Surgery Stats Mada 1 & 2. 2014-2016…..

 

Maxillofacial: 917

Plastics: 238

General: 817

Women’s Health: 473

Orthopaedics: 162

Eyes: 303 (No eye program in Mada 2.)

Ambulatory: 41

 

Total surgeries: 2951!

 

While you are soaking up these numbers, remember each one is a life, someone with a family, someone who has been healed, relieved of their suffering, taught a new lifesaving skill, been accepted back into their community, been mentored and experienced the love of Jesus from a big white hospital ship!