Help that flies and floats
In Madagascar people often walk for days to receive medical help. Thanks to the partnership between MAF and Mercy Ships, patients gain access to surgery on board the hospital ship Africa Mercy.
Ria Bos, director of patient coordination at Mercy Ships, explains: "Road conditions make travelling in Madagascar long and arduous. Thanks to MAF's flights we can reach remote areas far from Toamasina – where our hospital ship Africa Mercy is berthed." Mahajanga is one example: a field consultation was held there in January 2025. Travelling by road would have taken the team around 16 hours – time that could instead be spent assessing patients.
"We are very grateful for the partnership with MAF," Ria stresses. "Flying to places that would otherwise be three or four days away saves an enormous amount of time. Thanks to these flights we can work more efficiently and more safely." The team meets patients, assesses their situation and builds relationships – so that they understand what awaits them on the hospital ship. "We cannot sail the ship inland," she adds. "But that is exactly where our organisations meet – together we reach the most remote patients."
MAF also transports Mercy Ships staff from Ivato airport (Antananarivo) to Toamasina, where the Africa Mercy is berthed. "All our volunteer surgeons, doctors and nurses arrive via Antananarivo," Ria explains. "We cannot afford for them to be delayed – every minute of their time and skill is invaluable to our patients. A smooth, fast journey means more operations, more lives changed."
