Presidential tour of government offices-Victoria Hospital remains top on list of Mr Michel’s visits |26 February 2005

President Michel is putting Victoria Hospital at the top of the list of places to visit at the beginning of the year as he resumed his tour of government offices started in 2004 following his inauguration as President.

During Friday’s visit, Health and Social Services Minister Vincent Meriton and his principal secretary Maurice Loustau-Lalanne conducted the President on a tour of the dental referral clinic, the old out-patient clinic which is to be renovated, the pharmaceutical production unit and the dialysis unit.

A patient who was waiting for his turn for treatment came up to the President and thanked the government for the investments in the dialysis unit.

President Michel’s second visit to the hospital is another demonstration of his government’s undertaking to effect changes within the health system in order to improve its effectiveness and deliver a better service.

It was announced during his first visit last week that Victoria Hospital is to get a second and more advanced CT scanner. Other equipment including new lifts and air-conditioning units will be installed at Seychelles’ main hospital.

President Michel is giving his full support to plans to strengthen the diagnostic services for the conduct of a wider range of advanced tests locally instead of patients leaving to go abroad. Installation of the new equipment such as the modern CT scanner is part of the programme to improve the diagnostic services.

A larger storage facility for bigger stocks of medical supplies will also be built at Mont Fleuri.   
   
The restructuring of the management of the Health Department announced this week and which will come into effect next week, will provide for a leaner and more efficient organisation.