Why West Africa?
Many of the world's poorest nations fall within a grid formed by 15 degrees north and south of the Equator and 15 degrees east and west of the Prime Meridian. Mercy Ships is committed to serving the people within this grid. With the support and prayers of friends like you, we can say to the suffering men, women and children of West Africa, "Mercy is on its way!".
West Africa at a glance
- Many countries in West Africa are ranked by the United Nations Human Development Index as the least developed countries in the world.
- An estimated 70% of the population live on less than $2 a day.
- Access to and quality of health care is very inadequate, even for those who can afford to visit a clinic.
- There are only two doctors for every 10,000 people - compared to approximately two physicians for every 1,000 people in New Zealand.
- On average, out of every 1,000 live births, 170 children will die before the age of 5 - compared to 5 out of every 1,000 live births in New Zealand.
- Similarly, a woman living in West Africa has a 1 in 16 chance of dying during pregnancy - compared to a 1 in 7,150 risk for a woman in New Zealand.
Statistics from the 2009 Human Development Index, WHO Mortality Profile, WHO Health Workforce, UNICEF
