This year, one of the goals in Programs is to maximize the efficiency of the Africa Mercy hospital. Particularly, the hospital staff struggle with the numbers in our wards and even having to limit surgeries as we do not have the ward space for the patient’s recovery. So our new Hospital Manager and many others came up with the concept of an off-ship housing unit. This lead to what we now have as our Hospitality Center. The Hospitality Center, (also known as the HC), is a non-medical, temporary, housing unit for approximately 38 national residents who will have a stay prior to hospitalization for an in- and outpatient surgical procedure(s). This unit is also be used by national residents who have had surgery on the ship and for logistical reasons, may need non-medical housing in between outpatient visits to the ship, especially for those from the central and northern parts of Benin. The photo shows a representative from the Ministry of Health and he stopped to talk with my new friend Sumano and his father.
Keith R. Brinkman
Serving with Mercy Ships
