Ministry reassures Seychellois patients at MIOT |17 July 2017

All Seychellois patients who are at the MIOT (Madras Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology) for treatment will be attended to.

The Ministry of Health has received these assurances in the wake of reports that some of the Seychellois patients sent last week to MIOT in Chennai have received a letter indicating that their treatment would not start until outstanding Ministry of Health bills are paid.

“The Ministry of Health and Health Care Agency have not received any copy of the said letters. It is requesting that patients who might have received them, if at all, let the Overseas Treatment Office be aware of such letters,” the ministry says in a communiqué.

“Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has communicated with MIOT with a view to have more information on this issue and to clear any misunderstanding. The Ministry of Health has received assurances that all Seychellois patients will be attended to,” notes the communiqué, adding that a sum of over R8 million has been paid to MIOT so far this year.

The Health Care Agency currently has fourteen patients in MIOT out of whom seven left Seychelles last week.

Last year the Ministry of Health sent some 255 patients on overseas treatment. 175 went to MIOT, representing around 69% of the overseas patients. On average the ministry spends over R100,000 per patient treated in MIOT.

The Ministry of Health has reaffirms its willingness to continue working with MIOT and building on the existing strong partnership initiated since 2003.