President calls on us all to boost our health status |22 February 2013

He made the call when he delivered his state-of-the-nation address before the National Assembly.

“Our health is one of our most precious assets in our lives. We have an individual duty and responsibility to take care of our health. The Ministry of Health, too, has the duty to put in place comprehensive programmes on disease prevention as well as on public health education,” he said.

“Some among us engage in lifestyles that are dangerous and destructive to their health. They provoke their own illnesses. And when they fall ill, they expect to get treatment overseas! And at the expense of Seychellois workers!” he said.

“Fortunately, most of us take good care of our health. However, misfortunes can happen without warning. There can be unexpected outbreaks of diseases. And in these cases, our health system is there to provide the care.

“Our health centres, our hospitals, are the mirrors of our health system. We have invested a lot – at all levels – in these centres, in the hospitals and in our health system in general. We have made progress, but there are still many complaints.

“Even the President’s Office receives many complaints from people who are not satisfied with the way they are treated at the hospital. We have to take the public complaints and criticisms seriously. We have to use these complaints and criticisms to correct the weaknesses in the system, even if often this may take some time,” he said.

He reiterated that we need to have better communication, more compassion, better understanding at all levels of our health system and said there is no place for indifference, insubordination or negligence.

“But let us not only criticise and point fingers. Let us take ownership of our health system. Let us all join together to make it work.

“Expectations are high, and often these do not conform to reality. Our system is not perfect, but it is functioning despite its weaknesses. Let us not forget that most of the workers of the Ministry of Health are doing a good job, often under a lot of pressure.

They deserve our encouragement, and we salute their devotion. Health care is free, not like in certain countries including developed nations. In spite of our limited resources we save lives, we restore hope,” he said.