A CT scan for West Africa

14.09.2009- CT scanners are very few in West Africa, but one of them is installed on the Africa Mercy, often providing the only CT scan available in the visited country.

In 2005, Mercy Ships received a grant from a foundation in the UK allowing us to purchase a second-hand CT scan for only US$ 95’000. Such a CT scan is worth US$ 1.5 million brand new. After being completely refurbished, it was installed on the Africa Mercy and all spare parts and services are provided free of charge by a generous company in the US.

Computed tomography (CT) is an imaging method which can provide three-dimensional high resolution images of the inside of a part of the body, which an x-ray cannot do. This great tool is used to help our surgeons plan the operations ahead.