Africa-Press – Mauritius. A Master Plan planning for the modernisation and expansion of the Victoria Hospital with the aim of catering for the increasing healthcare needs of the population will soon be elaborated.
It will provide for additional health services including alcohology, dermatology, addictology, ayurvedic and autism treatments and comprise of a dedicated block for treatment of infectious diseases and a university hospital, amongst others.
This announcement was made this afternoon by the Prime Minister, Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, during an official ceremony marking the centennial of the Victoria Hospital, in Candos.
He also launched a souvenir e-magazine, as well as the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Survey Report 2021. PM Jugnauth proceeded to the unveiling of the centennial commemorative plaque of the institution.
Various eminent personalities including the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Land Use Planning, Minister of Tourism, Mr. Louis Steven Obeegadoo, were present on the occasion. In his address, the Prime Minister underpinned the contribution of the Victoria Hospital as a national institution to the healthcare landscape.
He highlighted that during its 100 years of existence, it has accomplished its mission of catering for medical treatments to the population, said the Prime Minister and attributed the good reputation of the institution to the hard work of all its staffs. The Victoria Hospital, added the Prime Minister, is offering quality service and is continuously adapting to emerging health crises. Mr.
Jugnauth also pointed out that the vision of the Government is to transform the country into a knowledge hub, whereby healthcare practitioners and professionals can share their knowledge and experience and also to set up a pharmaceutical sector and make leverage it as an economic pillar.
He reaffirmed Government’s priority in ensuring quality health services and is continuously investing to enhance health infrastructure to address health crises.
Other key projects in the pipeline include the setting up of a modern cardiac centre in Côte d’Or, specialised cancer hospital, University Hospital in Constance to be completed in February in 2023, New Eye Hospital in Réduit Triangle, kidney transplant unit at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, and an AYUSH centre of Excellence in Côte d’Or.
Speaking about the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister highlighted the efforts of healthcare practitioners in ensuring health services, and underlined the key role of vaccines in protecting the population. On that note, he urged the population to have their second booster dose for enhanced protection against the coronavirus.
With regard to the NCD Survey Report 2021, PM Jugnauth expressed satisfaction concerning the improvements made in the reduced number of persons suffering from diabetes (22.9 % in 2015 to 19.9% in 2021), no increase in the number of persons suffering from hypertension (27.3 % in 2015 in contrast to 27.2 % in 2021), reduced number of cigarette smokers (18.1% in 2021 in contrast to 19.3 % in 2015), and more adults practicing physical activity (23.7% in 2015 to 40.2 % in 2021).
He thus recalled that Government is advocating for a national strategy to inculcate to the population a culture of physically active lifestyle so that they stay in good health. Also present on the occasion, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr.
Kailesh Jagutpal, spoke about the wide array of health services provided by the Victoria Hospital and indicated that it assists some 56 000 visitors each month, houses 956 beds, employs 3070 medical practitioners, and cater for the health needs of some 400 000 Mauritians.
The Health Minister reiterated the unflinching resolve of Government to provide the best health care treatment, infrastructure and trained staffs, for quality healthcare.
He dwelt on major initiatives geared towards enhancing the public healthcare system, namely the new additions at the Victoria Hospital, including the Neonatal intensive care unit and the Spine Unit and the introduction of a primary coronary intervention in various hospitals.
As for dialysis treatment, he indicated that Government has invested in the purchase of some 90 machines in 2021 for a total cost of Rs 25 Million and will acquire 80 new ones for a cost of Rs 32 Million in the financial year 2022-23.
The Health Minister also recalled that Government has made the service of gynaecologists, paediatrics and anaesthetists available on a 24/7 basis in all public hospitals.
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