New hospital for Victoria and health centre for Anse Aux Pins |26 June 2014

A new hospital has been proposed to be built in Victoria on the former location of the NIHSS while a new health centre will be constructed on Ile Soleil to replace the existing one at Anse Aux Pins.

Health Minister Mitcy Larue gave these details during Question Time in the National Assembly on Tuesday morning while answering questions by proportionately elected member Maria Payette-Marie and elected member for Anse Aux Pins Meggy Marie respectively.
Mrs Payette-Marie  had asked Minister Larue to give the Assembly details on how far is  the project to redevelop the Seychelles Hospital including the building housing the dental health service at Mont Fleuri.

Minister Larue pointed out that plans to redevelop the Seychelles Hospital have been the subject of discussions for the past two years while a lot has been done and is still being done to continue to improve services and facilities there.

She noted that this is part of a renovation project rather than a redevelopment plan.
Minister Larue also informed the Assembly that following her visit to the MIOTT Hospital in India earlier this year, a fact-finding team including two consultants from this health institution came here in February. The team visited the Anse Royale Hospital, held talks with officials from the ministries of Land Use and Housing and Finance, Trade and Investment, visited the different renovations underway at the Seychelles Hospital and held talks with the management and project team members in the health ministry.

The team concluded in its observation that a number of facilities at the Seychelles Hospital are appropriate for some functions but that a lot more needs to be done to improve accessibility between the different services.

The team also highlighted an inadequacy of space on the different wards among other issues.
Minister Larue noted that some of these observations are important components that we need to act on if we want the Seychelles Hospital to meet international standards.
She said following its visit the team has submitted a plan to her ministry in which it proposes the construction of a new hospital on a new and more suitable location and this is where the former NIHSS use to be located.

“The plan is at present being presented to the different agencies concerned before being submitted to government,” Minister Larue informed the Assembly.
Meanwhile Minister Larue told Assembly members that it is now three months since dental services at Mont Fleuri has been stopped because the building housing the services was in a dilapidated state.

She said the future of the building will be addressed in the Seychelles Hospital master plan but pointed out that for the time being dental services are being delivered at the Yellow Roof specialist block.

But Minister Larue informed the Assembly that in the master plan which is still in its consultative stage, there is provision for a new dental block where all the services will be located under one roof.

The health minister also gave details of the ongoing renovation project at the Seychelles Hospital which include work on the operating theatre block which is expected to be completed by the end of this month, and work on the dialysis unit and the post-natal ward which is expected to be completed by mid July.

“Once the post-natal ward is ready, the children’s ward will be transferred there. This will allow renovation work, which is being funded by the Turkish government, to start on the children’s block,” Minister Larue informed Assembly members.  

Minister Larue also informed the Assembly that a new modern health centre will be built on Ile Soleil at Anse Aux Pins to replace the existing one which is outdated and can no longer be repaired following continuous renovations over the years with the most recent and major one in 2011 costing R1million.
Minister Larue gave those details following Mr Marie’s question on what was happening with renovations on the facility.
The new health centre to be built on Ile Soleil will also provide additional services aimed at decentralising services and bringing them closer to people in the communities and also help reduce pressure at the Seychelles Hospital.

Minister Larue said the design and funding for the project are being finalised and that the plan will be presented to the Cabinet soon before being submitted to the Planning Authority.
“If all goes according to plan construction work on the project is expected to get underway by the end of next year and be completed by the end of 2017,” Minister Larue informed Assembly members.
 
Meanwhile Minister Larue is appealing to the population of the region for their patience and continued support while her ministry continues to try and uphold a standard of service at the present facility to meet their needs.

“We need your support to overcome the challenges in modernising our health service.  Your suggestions and contributions in the process are very much welcome,” Minister Larue said.
Minister Larue noted that the Anse Aux Pins  health centre is currently providing a variety of services to over 11,000 people from the district as well as other communities in the eastern region.