Scammers Using Mercy Ships Name to Defraud Ghanaians — Ministry of Health Issues Urgent Warning

Ghana's Ministry of Health has sounded an urgent alarm over a fraudulent fundraising scheme being broadcast on Ghanaian television, warning citizens not to send money to individuals or organisations claiming to facilitate access to surgical treatment aboard the Mercy Ships hospital vessel currently docked at Tema Port. The scam, the Ministry says, is entirely unauthorised and has no connection whatsoever to Mercy Ships International.

What is happening and who is behind it?

A broadcast featuring an organisation calling itself the 'HELP Save LIFE Foundation' has been circulating on local television, appealing to Ghanaians to donate funds — via an MTN Mobile Money account — purportedly to help patients receive surgery through Mercy Ships. The Ministry of Health has described this campaign as fraudulent and confirmed that it is not affiliated with, authorised by, or endorsed by Mercy Ships in any form.

The Ministry was categorical in its statement: all medical services provided by Mercy Ships are completely free of charge. No patient is required to pay any fee, make a donation, or transfer mobile money to any individual or third party in order to access treatment. Anyone asking for such payments is operating a scam.

Members of the public have been strongly advised to avoid making payments, refrain from sharing personal or financial information with anyone claiming to arrange Mercy Ships access, and to report and ignore similar suspicious solicitations. Official communication from the Ministry of Health and Mercy Ships themselves should be the only trusted sources of information.

Background: What Mercy Ships is doing in Ghana

Mercy Ships International is a well-established Christian humanitarian organisation that has operated hospital ships across Africa for decades, providing free, high-quality surgical care and medical training to some of the continent's most underserved communities. Its flagship vessel, The Global Mercy — the world's largest purpose-built civilian hospital ship — arrived at Tema Port as part of a major field service mission to Ghana.

Over a ten-month period running through to June 2027, The Global Mercy is expected to provide free surgeries to more than 2,500 Ghanaians, covering a range of complex procedures that many patients would otherwise be unable to afford or access. The patient selection process was conducted well before the ship's arrival, through a coordinated screening exercise jointly managed by Mercy Ships and Ghana's Ministry of Health, based on clear medical and eligibility criteria.

Crucially, the Ministry has confirmed that Mercy Ships is currently operating at full capacity and is not in a position to accept additional patients for this field service. This makes the fraudulent campaign doubly dangerous — not only does it steal money from vulnerable people, it offers them false hope of treatment that is simply not available.

Why this matters for Ghana

Scams exploiting charitable and medical services are particularly harmful because they prey on desperate, often seriously ill individuals and their families who may not have many other options. The Mercy Ships mission has generated significant public interest given the scale of free surgical care on offer, and fraudsters are clearly taking advantage of that goodwill and public awareness.

Beyond the financial losses, such schemes risk eroding public trust in legitimate humanitarian programmes. If Ghanaians become suspicious of genuine free-care initiatives due to bad experiences with fraudsters, it could make future outreach and patient identification more difficult for credible organisations.

• Always verify health-related campaigns through official Ministry of Health channels or the Mercy Ships website before making any payment.
• Legitimate humanitarian medical services never require mobile money transfers or fees from patients.
• If you encounter this or similar suspicious broadcasts, report them to relevant authorities and do not engage.

The Ministry has urged the public to remain vigilant and to rely solely on verified official sources for any information regarding Mercy Ships services or access to its surgical programmes.