Family Hospital officially opens its doors |17 November 2017

“A hospital that reinforces support and care for patients while keeping in mind their family and community.”

This is how the Minister for Health, Jean-Paul Adam, described the H.H. Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan Family Hospital situated at Perseverance during its officially opening yesterday.

The unique medical facility which was donated by the H.H Sheikh Khalifa Foundation at a cost of R80 million, has been designed with the specific purpose of hosting family centered services such as family planning and child health services.

It was President Danny Faure who had the honour of unveiling the plaque and cut the ceremonious ribbon to mark the official opening of the hospital.

Also in attendance were the Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Pillay, ministers, members of the National Assembly, United Arab Emirates chargé d’affaires Ahmed Alneyadi, high dignitaries and health professionals.

Addressing guests, Minister Adam said the family hospital opens its doors at a time when the health of the nation needs to focus around the health of the family.

He expressed the belief that the ministry’s slogan of ‘My Health, My Responsibility’ is strengthened when it is valued within a family setting and thanked the president for leading the charge to promoting these values.

“We will eat better, exercise better, care for each other better and live better, by investing in the family,” Minister Adam commented.

He also extended the government’s gratitude to the H.H. Sheik Khalifa Foundation and the government of the UAE for agreeing to support the project.

On his part, H.E Alneyadi told the press that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the foundation are honoured to have played an integral part in providing Seychelles with a high quality family hospital.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank President Danny Faure and the government of Seychelles for all their elevated support and cooperation to make this project come true,” he concluded.

The ceremony was followed by a tour of the state of the art facility and amenities which includes two operating theatres, seven consultation rooms, isolation rooms, inpatients rooms, cafeteria, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), among others.

President Danny Faure and guests were also able to interact with the 20 or so female patients who had been transferred from the female medical ward at the Seychelles Hospital.

Dr Danny Louange, chief executive of the Health Care Agency, stated that their temporary move to the hospital was to necessitate the renovation works on the female medical ward.

Other wards such as the male medical ward and the ICU will also be renovated as part of the Seychelles Hospital redevelopment plan which is being undertaken in phases.

It is expected that, once the redevelopment plan ends, the family hospital at Perseverance will resume its original purpose to provide medical care for women and children.

It was in August this year that the foundation handed the building over to the Ministry of Health.