Volunteers must be aged between 18 and 79 years. Applicants aged between 70-79 years can serve for up to 6 months at a time before they must have a health review. Additional health documentation may be required at this time.

The minimum age for a child accompanying parents is 6 months old.

Please read the detailed Medical Fitness Guide for information on specific health conditions.

The objective of the medical review is to determine physical and mental fitness for travel and service with Mercy Ships in low-and middle-income countries. No physical or mental condition will prevent service unless the condition renders the person incapable of performing the essential functions of the position or unless it is determined that service would pose a direct threat to the person’s health or safety. It is important to emphasize that many Mercy Ships field locations are in countries with significant health and environmental risks and limited medical facilities.

All volunteers must be in good health and be prepared for the physical demands of both living and working on board a ship in Africa.

Did you know that some volunteers may be required to sleep in a bunk bed in a dormitory style cabin with other volunteers of the same gender?
Did you know each ship has multiple decks, and the average crew member climbs about 30 flights of stairs daily?
Did you know some crew work mostly off-ship and a few positions even require living off-ship? Working off-ship requires enough physical stamina to cope with a hot and humid climate.
Did you know that working in Housekeeping, Sales, Dining Room Hospitality or Galley can be physically demanding and may require heavy lifting and manual labor?

All crew need to be able to meet maritime safety standards. This includes being able to independently enter and exit the ship safely via a steep external gangway and being able to manage several flights of stairs inside the ship.

It depends on the vaccination. If you do not have proof of Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, or MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccinations, a blood test (known as a titer) will provide evidence of immunity. This blood test only needs to be done once in a lifetime, and if it confirms immunity, there is no need to repeat the vaccination.

If you do not have proof of diphtheria or tetanus vaccination, since a booster is required every 10 years to maintain immunity, documentary proof of a booster is sufficient.

It is advisable to consult your healthcare provider who can provide guidance based on your vaccination and medical history.

A titer test is a blood test that measures the presence of antibodies in your blood to determine if you are immune to a particular disease. If you have had a vaccination or previously contracted a disease, your body produces antibodies to fight off future infections. The titer test checks the level of these antibodies to see if you are still protected (immune). If you are unsure whether you need a vaccination because you may have already had a disease like measles or hepatitis A, a titer test can confirm whether you have sufficient immunity.

Your medical clearance as ‘fit for duty’ is conditional upon meeting the mandatory vaccination requirements. Some vaccinations (such as Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and MMR) require more than one vaccine dose, and it is possible to join the ship before you have completed all doses if you fulfil certain requirements. Please read the Medical Fitness Guide for further information on each vaccination. If you are unable to complete all doses before joining the ship, you will need to communicate this during the medical review process.

In extenuating circumstances when a vaccination is unavailable in a country, it may be able to possible to receive a vaccination on board, but this depends on vaccine availability as it is expensive and often challenging to import vaccines to field service locations. In extenuating circumstance, it may also be possible to receive a vaccination on arrival in the field service country, but again, this depends on local vaccine availability and access.

‘Childhood disease’ refers to diseases such as measles, mumps, or rubella. If you had any of these diseases during childhood, you typically have lifetime immunity and do not need further vaccination.

Documentary proof of childhood disease such as a certificate or letter from a healthcare provider is required. Otherwise, a blood test called a titer can be taken to confirm disease immunity.

The on board Pharmacy has a limited stock of the rabies vaccine, but these are reserved for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in the event of a potential rabies exposure.

Rabies vaccination is not mandatory to serve with Mercy Ships, but it is strongly recommended as rabies is present across the African continent.

Mandatory vaccinations are:

Diphtheria
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Poliomyelitis
Tetanus
Yellow Fever vaccination is a country entry requirement for most African countries. Yellow Fever may be required for children aged over 9 months or 1 year depending on the country. Please check with your healthcare provider.
Prior to enrollment in the Mercy Ships Academy (including pre-school, age 3) the minimum vaccinations for children are Diphtheria, Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), Pertussis (Whooping Cough), Poliomyelitis and Tetanus. Please refer to the Child Vaccination Checklist in the Crew Health Guide for further information.

Parents must ensure their child is up to date with vaccinations before arrival on board. Child vaccination schedules may vary per country and parents are recommended to follow the vaccination schedule of the child’s home country. Parents should also seek advice from their Healthcare Provider or Travel Clinic about additional vaccinations that the child may require before joining Mercy Ships.

Parents are requested to bring a copy of their home country’s childhood vaccination schedule and hand it to the Crew Clinic on board on arrival.

Note:  due to challenges transporting certain vaccines, the Crew Clinic on board may not be able to provide further childhood vaccinations. Some vaccinations will need to be obtained during the ship maintenance period or upon returning home.

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccination protects against all three diseases. Our focus is on measles due to its recent resurgence globally and its severe health risks.

Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease, that spreads through airborne transmission (coughing, sneezing).  Approximately 90% of people who are not immune and share a living space with an infected person will contract the disease. This is particularly concerning in close quarters, such as on board a ship. Once contracted, measles is untreatable other than supportive care, and complications can be severe.  Given these risks, MMR vaccination is required for all adults and children.  All vaccination requirements are in line with WHO and USA Center for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) guidelines.

Note: adults born before 1963 do not need to provide documentary evidence of MMR vaccination. Adults born before 1963 are generally considered immune to measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) because they were likely infected with these diseases as children.

Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccinations are mandatory for Engineering, Global Patient Selection Team, Hospital (including Dental, Crew Clinic, HOPE Center) and Stewards departments. Crew working in these areas are directly involved in activities that heighten the risk of encountering and spreading bacteria, such as food handling, sanitation or activities involving close interactions with patients. By ensuring these crew are vaccinated, Mercy Ships minimizes the risk of transmission, safeguards the health of crew and patients, and ensures the mission’s continuity without the threat of a preventable outbreak.

Hepatitis A is a highly contagious virus that spreads through ingestion of contaminated food or water or through close contact with an infected person, while Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella typhi, a bacterium primarily transmitted through contaminated food and water. The risk of infection is particularly high in many developing countries where Mercy Ships operate, where access to clean water and an adequate sanitation infrastructure may be limited.

Meningitis ACWY vaccination is recommended for all Mercy Ships personnel over 11 years of age traveling to countries within the ‘meningitis belt’. The ‘meningitis belt’ is a region in sub-Saharan Africa where the incidence of bacterial meningitis is significantly high, especially during dry season. Bacterial meningitis is a fast-spreading infection that inflames the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The infection can progress rapidly, becoming life-threatening within hours.

Meningitis spreads through coughing, sneezing, and even close, prolonged contact. This makes the crowded, communal environment on a ship particularly vulnerable to rapid transmission even if a single crew member becomes infected. Such an outbreak could put the entire crew and mission at serious risk, with a potentially overwhelming impact on medical and operational resources.

Vaccination is recommended to protect against this severe and potentially deadly disease and to prevent an outbreak within our close-knit community on board.

TB screening options are either a blood test or a skin test.

The recommended TB screening option is an Interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) blood test called a QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT Plus) or T-Spot test.

The other option for TB screening is a tuberculin skin test also known as a Mantoux or PPD (Purified Protein Derivative). A tuberculin skin test is only recommended if you have never received the BCG vaccination as prior vaccination may give a false positive result.

If your screening result is positive, you will need clinical follow-up with a Healthcare Provider including detailed medical history, physical examination, and a chest x-ray.

For more information refer to the Medical Fitness Guide

Mercy Ships requires tuberculosis (TB) screening every 2 years for all adults serving in low- and middle-income countries. TB remains a significant global health concern, particularly in countries with a high TB burden and 2 yearly screening enables detection of latent or active TB infections which can be followed by prompt action to prevent transmission.

TB is caused by the bacteria ‘mycobacterium tuberculosis’ and is a serious infectious disease primarily affecting the lungs. TB is an airborne disease and spreads when individuals with active TB cough and sneeze which makes it especially concerning in close-contact settings, such as on board a ship, where the potential for airborne transmission is high.

TB is both preventable and treatable, but it remains a significant health risk globally. About one-quarter of the world’s population is estimated to carry TB bacteria, although only about 5-10% will develop active TB disease. Those who carry TB bacteria without symptoms, known as latent TB infection (LTBI), cannot transmit the disease. However, if latent TB progresses to active TB disease, the person becomes infectious, which can lead to a rapid spread of TB in close quarters. Without treatment, TB can be fatal.

In 2022, approximately 10.6 million people developed TB, and 1.3 million people died from it, making TB the second leading infectious disease killer after COVID-19, and more deadly than HIV/AIDS. For these reasons, regular TB screening is crucial in high-risk settings.

TB screening is required even if you have had prior Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination. BCG vaccination is widely used to prevent certain forms of TB in children, but it does not prevent pulmonary TB. BCG vaccination does not provide lifetime immunity against lung TB in adulthood either, therefore, prior BCG vaccination does not exempt you from 2 yearly TB screening.

If your screening result is positive, you will need clinical follow-up with a Healthcare Provider including detailed medical history, physical examination, and a chest x-ray.

Chest x-rays are sometimes used in tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis, but they are not effective as a routine screening method for TB. Chest x-rays cannot distinguish between latent TB infection (TBI) and active TB disease (TBD), nor can they reliably identify early infection without clinical symptoms. Chest x-rays are reserved for use when an initial TB screening result, either a blood test or tuberculin skin test, is positive. Chest x-rays help identify active TB disease in symptomatic individuals or verify TB status in those with positive tuberculin skin or blood tests.

By adhering to evidence-based screening protocols, Mercy Ships can better ensure health and safety and prevent the spread of TB among crew members and patients in high-risk areas. Regular screening for TB ensures early detection and treatment, mitigating the risk of a serious onboard outbreak.

Yes. For more information, please refer to the Crew Health Information Guide

Yes, for more information please refer to the Crew Health Information Guide

Each ship has a Crew Clinic on board which functions like a general practitioner (GP), primary care physician or family medicine service, including urgent care. For more information, please refer to the Crew Health Information Guide

The ship’s Food Services team provide a healthy well-balanced diet, but Mercy Ships cannot cater for special diets. All Mercy Ships kitchens operate an ‘open galley/kitchen’ which means that any food item cannot be guaranteed to be completely free of an allergen. This applies to all food provided, including meals and snacks.

If you have any special dietary needs, please bring any supplements or special foods with you. Responsibility for any specific dietary needs is that of the individual.

Crew galleys (kitchens) are available to use on board although these are ‘open galley/kitchens’, and Mercy Ships cannot guarantee that other crew members will not have allergen-inducing ingredients open and in use at the same time.