Founder and Medical Director of CHILD Accra, Dr. Juliette M. Tuakli, has been appointed as the Diplomatic Ambassador for Africa, a newly created role by Mercy Ships.

The appointment will support the activation of strategic partnerships with governments, diplomatic entities, communities/social organizations that build awareness, engagement, and create opportunities for Mercy Ships.

CEO of Mercy Ships, Gert van de Weerdhof, noted that this role will involve implementing and nurturing diplomatic agreements with African governments and regions, working with the Africa Bureau Director, Dr. Pierre M’Pele, to help foster new relationships and strengthen existing relationships across the continent.

“I am both honored and excited to assume this new role with Mercy Ships. It reflects both the extraordinary growth and recognizable impact of Mercy Ships as a strategic complement to Africa’s Safe Surgery and Medical capacity development as a Partner of Choice. In this role, I intend to deepen and expand our relationship using my skills and considerable experience to the best of my God given ability.”
Dr. Tuakli

After more than 30 years of partnership and service, focused entirely on Africa, this appointment comes at a time of great momentum for not only Mercy Ships, but healthcare systems in Africa as a whole. On the heels of an International Symposium and Dakar Declaration earlier this year, several countries in Africa are focusing on action plans to improve access to surgical, obstetric, and anesthetic care by 2030.

A highly acclaimed Pediatrician and Reproductive Health specialist

Dr. Tuakli is a highly acclaimed Pediatrician and Reproductive Health specialist. She is the Founder and Medical Director of CHILD Accra; a full-service clinic that provides clinical care and public health care services to children and their families across the West African region. She is an expert in public health and has a passion for improving healthcare and the lives of children and families throughout Africa.

As the first female Rotary President of the premier Anglophone club in Ghana, Dr. Tuakli promoted legislation to protect the disabled, orphans and vulnerable children. Her work was hailed by the African Union in 2016 and she was elected to the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.

Recently, Dr. Tuakli retired from United Way Worldwide, where she was Chair of both the Membership and the Governance Committees before becoming the first female Chair of the International Board of Trustees.

As a highly respected social philanthropist, she has served on the Mercy Ships International Board for over 10 years and recently joined the Mercy Ships UK board. Dr Tuakli co-founded MOREMI Girls Leadership and has served as an Advisor to Nestle, the African Union, and other international organizations. She is a Board member of Zenith Bank and the Global Virus Network.

This past May, Dr. Tuakli had the privilege of officially christening the Global Mercy during special inaugural ceremonies for Mercy Ships’ newest hospital ship, during Africa celebrations hosted by H.E. President Macky Sall in Dakar, Senegal.

Mercy Ships’ operations

Global health for the last two decades has focused on individual diseases, while surgical care in low-resource countries has not received the attention it needs. According to Mercy Ships, lack of surgical care results in almost 17 million deaths annually.

Mercy Ships, as an international faith-based organization, operates hospital ships to deliver free, world-class healthcare services, medical capacity building, and health system strengthening to those with little access to safe surgical care.

Since 1978, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 55 countries, with the last three decades focused entirely on partnering with African nations.

Each year, volunteer professionals from over 60 countries serve on board of the world’s two largest non-governmental hospital ships, the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy. Professionals such as surgeons, dentists, nurses, health trainers, cooks, and engineers dedicate their time and skills to the cause. Mercy Ships has offices in 16 countries and an Africa Bureau.