New hospital to further boost people’s health
17.06.2009
A new US $3.5 million hospital being built at Anse Royale will help the government to continue promoting people’s health, which is a right guaranteed in the Constitution.
Health and Social Development Minister Marie-Pierre Lloyd said this in an interview with Nation yesterday evening after she and Chinese Ambassador Wang Weiguo laid the foundation stone for the 50-bed hospital.
She said the original hospital was built 60 years ago in response to the challenges of that time to promote health, protect lives and restore hope among the inhabitants of south Mahe.
“Thirty years ago the hospital became even more relevant and had the pivotal role of promoting primary health care as guaranteed under our Constitution,” she said.
“Today the health and social improvements made in this region of Mahe are quite obvious. Environmental sanitation, provision of safe water and sanitation, and health awareness have had an immeasurable impact in reducing diseases, protecting and promoting health.”
Mrs Lloyd said as we mark our National Day, which is the anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of the Third Republic, we can look with pride at our achievements as a nation. She thanked all those who have served Seychelles to the best of their ability in the past.
She said the new hospital will give better services and also respond to current and future disease patterns and the health needs of south Mahe.
“It will offer not just quality emergency services and quality inpatient and outpatient care, but also provide quality diagnostic services. It will have a better laboratory, better imaging facilities and mortuary services,” she said.
Mr Wang said the hospital is a gift from the government of China and was planned by leaders at the Sino-Africa Summit for Development and Cooperation.
He said he knows Seychelles’ government attaches great importance to its people’s welfare and tries to safeguard their health by all means.
“That is why all Seychellois look so healthy and happy. Even under the severe economic difficulties, the government is trying hard to prevent its people from being hurt by the economic reform,” he said, adding that we still enjoy an efficient medical system.
“But keeping the system in good working condition is not easy,” he said.
Ambassador Wang said his government is willing to extend a helping hand in preventing and treating disease.
Noting that no country can escape the negative effects of the financial crisis and China too has been affected, Mr Wang said his government has decided it is not going to reduce the level of help to African countries, as President Hu Jintao promised the continent’s leaders earlier this year.
Among those who attended the ceremony were members of the National Assembly from the neighbouring districts, principal secretary for foreign affairs Joseph Nourrice, World Health Organisation liaison officer Dr Cornelia Atsyor, top health managers, senior doctors and nurses as well as staff from the Qingjian Group, which has said it will complete the hospital in nine months.