Our 32-bed Emergency Field Hospital constructed at the University of Mississippi Medical Center brings much-needed relief to weary patients and an overburdened medical system.
Samaritan’s Purse has opened a 32-bed Emergency Field Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi, to treat seriously ill COVID-19 patients. We are working alongside the University of Mississippi Medical Center and state government officials to help hurting communities.
Edward Graham addressed Samaritan’s Purse and hospital staff at the opening of our field hospital.
“We are humbled to be here, we love you, and we are praying for you,” said Edward Graham, son of Franklin Graham and assistant to the vice president of programs and government relations for Samaritan’s Purse. Graham is working closely with our teams and with leaders in Mississippi. “Our people do this because they want to love their neighbor.”
For more than a year and a half now, healthcare workers in Mississippi have bravely faced the deadly virus, and the ongoing reality that dozens and, recently, hundreds of seriously ill patients are awaiting lifesaving treatment.
As the Delta variant gains footing, the number of cases is crescendoing among unvaccinated populations. Only an estimated 35 percent of Mississippi residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Offering Medical Care in Jesus’ Name
Since our arrival in Jackson on Sunday evening, our teams have been working around the clock to ensure that patients receive treatment as soon as possible.
Our field hospital opened at noon local time on August 18, and the first patient arrived soon after. More men and women from across Mississippi are soon expected to fill the beds of our specialized wards.
This marks the sixth COVID-related field hospital that we’ve operated since the start of the pandemic. We’ve deployed treatment units to New York, North Carolina, and California as well as to Italy and the Bahamas.
Doctors, nurses, and government officials see this as a small reprieve that they hope will buy them some time and maybe some brief moments of rest.
Pharmacist Mike Liner hopes patients experience the love of Christ through his work.
“With this help, we have a little bit of light,” said Dr. Thomas Dobbs, state health officer with the Mississippi State Department of Health.
Our doctors and nurses are providing around-the-clock care to worried and weary patients, addressing physical needs with high-quality healthcare while reminding them that they are not alone or forgotten.
“My hope and my prayer for these patients is that they will see the love of Jesus through our work,” said Mike Liner, a long-time pharmacist who regularly serves on our medical deployments.
Please continue to pray for the people of Mississippi, medical workers, COVID-19 patients, and for our teams as they continue to provide medical care in Jesus’ Name.
