Mercy Ships has been invited to return to Toamasina in 2026, excited for even more life-changing surgeries to take place. The Africa Mercy® is slated to return to the port city of Toamasina in May 2026 to continue delivering free surgical care after an extended Annual Maintenance Period (AMP) in South Africa. During this maintenance period, the ship will also undergo drydocking and receive additional upgrades to hospital equipment and ship systems. This AMP is longer than usual to ensure that the ship can maximise surgical capacity for Madagascar and beyond.
In late 2025, the Malagasy government renewed its partnership with Mercy Ships, enabling the hospital ship to return and continue to provide life-changing surgeries and medical training through 2026. This upcoming period will mark the third consecutive field service for the Africa Mercy, and the sixth time Mercy Ships has visited the island nation.
In 2025, Mercy Ships performed more than 1,370 surgeries in specialised areas such as maxillofacial/head and neck, ophthalmic, orthopaedic, general, paediatric, and reconstructive plastic. In addition, more than 7,110 dental procedures have been performed, giving many Malagasy people important oral care that’s rarely accessible in their communities.
Among those who received life-changing surgery this year is Francisco, a 39-year-old farmer and father of seven. He lived with a growing tumour for 15 years, which made it impossible for him to close his mouth. It also affected his ability to sleep, eat, and work, and took a financial and emotional toll on his family. After a year of waiting, Francisco had the tumour removed by the surgical team on board the Africa Mercy. He shared: “I truly don’t know what I would’ve done without Mercy Ships; they were my only remaining hope. I had reached a point where I didn’t expect to grow old anymore.” Thanks to safe surgery, Francisco can now support his family without the burden of a life-threatening tumour.
Mercy Ships will also continue training and education programs for Malagasy healthcare professionals in the coming year. In 2025, there were more than 150 unique education and training participants combined with more than 20,000 total training hours (9,050+ on ship and 11,030+ off ship), including the training of Malagasy dental students in Guinea. Through collaboration with local partners, Mercy Ships is committed to creating positive, lasting change throughout the country for years to come.
While the Africa Mercy is undergoing her required AMP, Mercy Ships will remain present in the country. Off-ship education and training programs will continue during this time, and the patient selection process is expected to begin in early 2026 across 12 regions in Madagascar. This will ensure a smooth transition for patients when the hospital ship returns to port.
Mercy Ships is grateful for the continued support from the Malagasy government through this transition period.
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