Rigel Medical, part of Seaward Group, is supplying medical and test equipment to Mercy Ships, an international charity.
The voluntary organisation delivers free medical care to some of the world’s poorest countries via a former passenger ship which has been converted into a hospital with five operating rooms, an intensive care unit and 80 ward beds.
The Africa Mercy has just returned from a 10-month field service to Cameroon – and is scheduled to arrive in Conakry, Guinea in August for its next service. The ship is fitted out with equipment to test the hospital’s syringe drivers, which deliver a consistent flow of injected medication, and its volumetric pumps for infusion of fluids – all manufactured at Rigel’s County Durham base.
The testers, Rigel’s Multi-Flo Infusion Pump Analysers, provide an essential service on board as they ensure patients are administered the correct doses at all times. Without them, patients are put at serious risk of receiving the wrong levels of medication – which can be fatal.
Rigel also provided a suite of essential testing devices, including a 288+ Electrical Safety Analyser, a portable tester designed to perform routine tests on medical electrical equipment, and a UniPulse defibrillator analyser which ensures defibrillators are working correctly.
Rigel Medical, soon to be rebranded as Seaward Medical, has a long standing commitment to supporting charitable organisations and overseas healthcare providers. The firm has previously supplied equipment to be used in voluntary missions to Asia and Africa.
Jackie Abbott, corporate relations at Mercy Ships, said: “We’re extremely grateful for the support that Rigel Medical has given us. “Our trip to Cameroon was our biggest venture yet and it wouldn’t have been possible without partners like Rigel.”
Jack Barrett, national business development manager at Rigel Medical, said: “We’re delighted to continue helping Mercy Ships carry out its important work. “The work the team accomplishes is simply incredible and it’s a real honour to be able to contribute to the mission in such a vital way.”
About Mercy Ships
Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to deliver free, world-class healthcare services, capacity building and sustainable development to those with little access in the developing world. Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 70 countries providing services valued at more than $1.3 billion, treating more than 2.56 million direct beneficiaries. The Africa Mercy is crewed by 400 volunteers from up to 40 nations, an average of 1000 each year. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, healthcare trainers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills to the effort. With offices in 16 nations, Mercy Ships seeks to transform individuals and serve nations one at a time. For more information visit www.mercyships.org
