On the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva |28 May 2018

Minister Adam leads talks on health cost reductions

Pooled procurement of prescription drugs and clinical supplies to reduce costs while maintaining quality and effectiveness, was the main topic of discussion among the delegations of Seychelles, Sao Tome and Principe, Mauritius, Comoros, Cape Verde and Bahamas in their extraordinary meeting which took place on Thursday in Geneva, Switzerland.

The delegations agreed, in the presence of the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa, to continue to explore how they can buy drugs and clinical supplies together, in an effort to increase the volume of their joint purchase and by so doing get better prices.

Seychelles spends about 40% of its annual health budget (over R350 million annually) on prescription drugs and clinical supplies and any reduction in this cost will mean more resources for other areas of care.

Health Minister Jean-Paul Adam chaired that meeting which came as a follow-up to the meeting of the ministers of health of these countries which took place in Seychelles in September 2017.

Earlier in the week, in the plenary session of the World Health Assembly, Minister Adam spoke powerfully on Seychelles’ efforts to achieve universal health coverage amid the many challenges faced by small island states.

He said that Seychelles is making greater efforts than ever before to build the required synergies to put the concept of “health” and all its dimensions into all its policies.

“The collaboration of the health sector with the education sector is increasing year on year with the consolidation of the health promoting school concept,” he said.

Minister Adam added that the objective of the country is to reduce obesity in Seychelles’ children by increasing physical activity and improving home and school nutrition.

“We are encouraging parents to help children eat right,” he said. “We are also working hard to inspire them from a very young age to avoid cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. We are increasing their resilience by promoting good life values.”