First Lady brings cheer to hospital wards |02 June 2012

As it customary, Mrs Michel visited the babies on the maternity and children’s ward for Children’s Day and shared some comforting moments with them.

She also had a gift for each baby and child on the ward.
The First Lady was accompanied by the Minister for Health Mitcy Larue and her principal secretary Veronique Laporte, as well as other senior staff at the Seychelles Hospital.

Speaking to the press, Mrs Michel explained that June 1 is an official engagement which she annually commemorates by visiting the children who are admitted in hospital. 

She said she makes it a must to be with the children on that day as she feels it brings some comfort, joy and brightens up their day.

Two re-decorated and refurbished rooms on the children’s ward were also handed over to the minister by Mrs Michel. The wall décor has been decorated with the theme and name of the two rooms, that is, Souffle d’Ange and Papiyon.

The rooms are used for children who are receiving special treatment at the hospital, and have been adopted by the Seychelles Children’s Foundation under it’s ‘A friend in me’ programme.

The ‘A friend in me’ programme offers friendship, comfort and joy to children in difficult circumstances, like those who are admitted in hospital, the chronically ill, those with life-threatening medical conditions, children with special needs, those in distress and others needing special help.

The two overhauled rooms is the second phase of a bigger project to upgrade the children’s ward and make it more child-friendly and comfortable. The total cost of the redecorations and refurbishment is R65,000.

Alexandra Azais, the chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, also had gifts of toys for the ward, which she presented to Minister Larue.

Dr Phillip Govinden, who is in charge of the children’s ward, said the new room’s bright decorations and drawings will certainly help speed up the little patients’ recovery as it will enable them to focus more on the psychological aspect of their recovery and make it easier to forget their pain.

The foundation has received the help of Mrs Azais, Gregory Albert and Luiggi Berardi, among other sponsors to make the project a reality.