Anse Royale Hospital to start admitting patients before year-end |19 August 2016

The Anse Royale Hospital will start receiving patients for admission before the end of the year.

The aim, according to the Health Care Agency (HCA), is for the hospital in the southern region of Mahé to offer services similar to that of the Seychelles Hospital at Mont Fleuri.

Dr Danny Louange, deputy chief executive of the HCA, said in an interview recently that admission to the Anse Royale Hospital will be conducted in phases starting with children followed by female and male.

Thelma Reginald, nurse manager of the Anse Royale regional hospital, said all admission will be on the first floor and this will not interfere with the normal services and daily operations of the hospital.

“The hospital has been designed to admit both children and adults as well as to offer delivery and maternity care among others like casualty,” Dr Louange explained.

He added that the admission services are being planned to be introduced in phases starting with children before the end of the year followed by adults.   

“We want to bring services in that region to a higher level in terms of specialist services. Decentralisation of services is becoming a necessity at a time when the Seychelles Hospital is facing an increase in admissions thus a shortage of vacant beds at times.

“The decision will also benefit people in the community as these services are brought closer to them,” Dr Louange pointed out.

He explained that before these get underway installations of gas piping delivery fittings, among other logistics have to be finalised and the roof, which has started to show signs of rust, has to be replaced.

With regard to the manpower needs, Ms Reginald said additional staff will be required in due course.

“At present some 20 nurses are working to provide the existing services and to start the new services at least three more will be required initially,” Ms Reginald said.

Dr Louange said recruitment process for additional doctors and specialists has also started.

He added that an x-ray machine will also be installed at the Anse Royale Hospital in due course but noted that serious cases which will require ICU care, surgical interventions will be tended to at the Seychelles Hospital.

Meanwhile Dr Louange has said a separate new building to accommodate the dental clinic has also been built behind the hospital.

“The facility has cost the health ministry between R600,000 and R800,000 and the dental service is expected to move there soon,” Dr  Louange said.

Ms Reginald noted that the new recently built health facility which opened in 2013 is currently offering services to some 14,000 inhabitants from Anse Royale itself, part of Au Cap, Baie Lazare and Takamaka districts.

The services include doctors’ consultations, emergency on a 24hour basis, six different specialist clinics, reproductive health, maternal and child health, antenatal, physiotherapy, environmental and pharmacy as well as ambulance.

Ms Reginald noted that it is only the dental health clinic which still operates in a section of the old health centre that still remains standing adjacent to the new one.

Meanwhile Ms Reginald has said that in terms of kitchen utensils and equipment the hospital is already equipped but more will be required and will hopefully be brought in as admission starts.