Health minister visits Anse Royale Hospital, assess renovation required |18 March 2017

Equipment necessary for the new Anse Royale dental clinic has arrived and will soon be  assembled, electricity system in the new building is being readapted to match the requirements of the new equipment among other adjustments that had to be made, the scope of work to replace the leaking roof and its supporting structures is being assessed and work is expected to start in the coming weeks are but some of the issues that came out during a visit the health minister conducted at the Anse Royale Hospital yesterday morning.

At the request of elected National Assembly member for Anse Royale, Sylvianne Lemiel , Minister Jean-Paul Adam conducted the visit accompanied by a delegation of key officials from his ministry including the deputy chief executive of the Health Care Agency (HCA) Dr Danny Louange, his special advisor Dr Loren Reginald among others.

Minister Adam, led by the hospital’s nurse manager Thelma Reginald,  toured the different facilities at the hospital and talked to patients in the different waiting areas.

Speaking to the press soon after his visit, Minister Adam said it was an opportunity for him to see first-hand the state of facilities at the hospital, engage with hospital and district authorities, assess the services being offered in relation to what patients and clients of the region are saying.

“The hospital is at present being used to its maximum as demand for health care in the region increases, and among our biggest concern is to ensure people receive the care they need,” Minister Adam stressed.

He went on to add that the plan to admit patients is still on but has been delayed due to some unforeseen challenges like recruiting more  staff, the need to improve on certain facilities inside the hospital as well as change the roof among other issues,” Minister Adam said. 

“We also had the chance to look at the different areas where services can be improved based of course on the means and resources that we have to meet patients’ expectations. Some of the challenges we are facing among others is to continuously try and cut down on patients’/clients’ waiting time in line with the patient-centred care approach but this too is based on human resource availability,” Minister Adam said.

“But I believe another key aspect that we should focus on is preventive care and for this we would work more closely with the community to identify risks very early on and to find ways to address and reduce those risks before they become full blown health problems that require hospitalisation,” Minister Adam said.

With regard to the dental services which had remained operational in parts of the old hospital even after the present hospital opened in June 2013 but was forced to close down a couple of months ago due to a  mould infestation, Minister Adam who visited the new dental facilities which has been erected at the back of the new hospital said this would be commissioned in a few months’ time.

He pointed out that the new dental facilities was not part of the Chinese government grant of the hospital but has been built by the Seychelles government. He added that all equipment required for its operation has arrived and will soon be assembled and fitted.

Dr Louange said additionally the electricity system of the building had to be readapted to match the requirement of the new equipment among other adjustments that had to be made.

“We are very much aware of the inconvenience and distress the closure of the dental clinic is causing patients and we are doing our utmost to ensure the new facility becomes operational with the shortest delay as possible,” Dr Louange has reassured inhabitants of the region who use the service.

With regard to patient admission he said they are stepping up effort to speed up necessary modification and readjustment works so that admission can start during the course of the year.

He added that there are problems with the roof which is leaking and its supporting structures which have to be replaced but that the HCA has made the project one of its priorities and is committed to starting the work in the coming weeks.

It is to be recalled that modification works on the Anse Royale hospital started since last year with the installation of new gas piping delivery fittings and this has now been completed.

After the visit Minister Adam said he is much encouraged by the positive attitude of the staff who really want to make a difference in the care and service they give to their patients and clients.

Mrs Lemiel said for her part that she requested the visit by the health minister because of the numerous complaints she receives with regard to services, state of the facilities and the length of time patients have to wait for services.

“It was necessary the minister sees for himself so he can better assess the situation, see the different problems with the facilities in place to know the different factors impeding certain services and have a better understanding of what prompted public complaints and how to better address them,” Mrs Lemiel said.

“I am really satisfied that the visit has taken place and the public who use the facility and services will have a better understanding as to why some services are not yet operational and they will better understand what is happening,” Mrs Lemiel said.

The 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 24-hour basis, six different specialist clinics, reproductive health, maternal and child health, antenatal, physiotherapy, environmental and pharmacy as well as ambulance.

The accompanying photographs show the minister and his delegation during the visit at the hospital.