Lunch time ZOOM meeting - Dr John Rhodes – Mercy Ships

On Thursday 28th January 2021 President Geoff Sampson welcomed 20 Club Rotarians and Wilma Page guest of husband Ron and speaker Dr John Rhodes to this lunch time meeting held by ZOOM.

Two apologies for non-attendance.

Our speaker this week was Rotarian Dr John Rhodes from the Rotary club of Bingley who is a retired GP from Shipley in Yorkshire who has done work on Mercy Ships. Mercy Ships is a faith-based international development organisation that deploys hospital ships to some of the poorest countries in the world, delivering vital, free healthcare to people in desperate need. Worldwide, 5 billion people lack access to safe, affordable, timely surgery. Many of them live in developing countries where healthcare infrastructure is limited or non-existent, or where there is a shortage of trained healthcare providers. Fortunately, more than 50% of the world’s population lives within 100 miles of a coast — which is why Mercy Ships uses modern hospital ships to bring world-class volunteer medical professionals directly to the places they are needed most. Their ships are the most efficient way to bring a state-of-the-art hospital to regions where clean water, electricity, and medical facilities and personnel are limited or non-existent. Instead of trying to build the facilities needed to bring life-changing surgeries to ports around the world, they can provide a safe, stable, fully outfitted hospital ship to help change the odds for thousands of people in need. They also train local healthcare providers and improve medical infrastructure and even stock our ships with a supply of vehicles so they can reach remote areas! John showed several slides during the presentation which showed the enormity of the problems they experience in the different countries visited. Currently, the Africa Mercy is the only ship in service. It is the largest charity-run hospital ship in the world, with greater capacity than all their previous ships combined. It contains five operating rooms, a four-bed recovery area, intensive care for up to five patients, and 80 ward beds. The Africa Mercy houses about 400 volunteer crew members from up to 40 nations. It is currently 40-year-old and costs £3.5 million a year to run even though all the staff from doctors, nurses and all the other crew are all unpaid volunteers. They pay their own costs to get to the ship and even pay for their board. However, there is a second ship currently being built which has been jointly financed by Mercy Ships and Rotary. This new ship The Global Mercy is expected to be ready in 14 months. When a decision is made to visit a country a 5-year programme of engagement is produced. In year 1 the protocol is established, year 2 sees a survey of the needs produced, year 3 is the actual surgery when the ship is in port for about 10 months, year 4 concentrates on education and year 5 is a review of how it all went. For more information on Mercy Ships please visit their website Mercy Ships

The Rotary vote of thanks was given by Brian Johnson.

President Geoff Sampson was taken aback by Walter Fletcher and the club’s membership when he was presented with a Paul Harris fellow award by Wife Anne during the meeting this being in recognition primarily for his work in serving the community groups during COVID.

This coming week Thursday 4^thFebruary 2021 at 1pm on ZOOM. We will be given a talk by David Barwick of the Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance - SCAA

The Rotary vote of thanks will be given by IPP Ewen Macdonald.

If you were interested in supporting the community and international projects get in touch by Private message on The Rotary Club of Glenrothes Facebook page. You will be made most welcome[GS1] .