An Ulverston firm has carried out an essential service on the world’s largest hospital ship.
Bender UK has completed the check on the medical IT power systems aboard the Global Mercy, which makes sure the ship can continue its mission of delivering life-changing medical care to some of the world’s poorest countries in Africa.
The Global Mercy recently docked in Tenerife for maintenance before resuming its humanitarian mission.
Bender’s life-changing technology will continue to play a crucial role in safeguarding those on board.
Gareth Brunton, Bender UK managing director, said: “We are proud to support the humanitarian mission of Global Mercy with our innovative medical IT power technology, which safeguards the staff and patients on board from electrical hazards.
“Our commitment includes carrying out essential electrical system maintenance free of charge and offering our expertise to Mercy Ships to ensure these and future vessels can efficiently deliver vital services worldwide. On this occasion, we were delighted to be of assistance once again to help safeguard operations.”
Andrew Cartwright, Bender’s service and commissioning engineer, travelled to Tenerife to undertake essential servicing and testing of the medical IT and isolated power systems on board the Global Mercy. He verified all systems and reported no faults in the electrical installation previously designed and installed by the company’s team of experts.
The Global Mercy is the first purpose-built floating hospital and the largest charity-run hospital ship in the world. The 174m, 37,000-ton vessel has six operating rooms and houses over 600 volunteers from around the globe, including surgeons, medical specialists, maritime crew, and various support personnel.
This technology enables the engineering crew to assess the health of the systems and see developing faults without switching off the vessel’s services. This continuous monitoring and protection of the vessel’s electrical infrastructure allows volunteer medical staff to continue their vital work uninterrupted and without risk to patient safety.
Mercy Ships, the organisation behind the Global Merc, is addressing a critical need. Conditions requiring surgical treatment are responsible for more deaths in low-income countries than HIV/Aids, TB, and malaria combined. Globally, five billion people have no access to safe, affordable surgery.
The ship’s robust electrical grid is essential for its mission and autonomous operation. Bender, a world leader in medical IT systems for clinical areas and marine electrical systems, enhanced the electrical infrastructure on board the Global Mercy during a previous maintenance docking two years ago.
