Modern equipment at the centre will also cut the speed at which diagnosis of many illnesses including breast cancer are done, reducing patients’ waiting time.

President James Michel unveiled the plaque to officially open the centre in the presence of the United Arab Emirates’ Health Minister Dr Hanif Hassen Al Qassim, Vice-President Danny Faure, our Health Minister Dr Erna Athanasius and other dignitaries.

Dr Qassim unveiled the building name’s plaque indicating it has been funded, built and given to Seychelles by the President of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The consultant in charge of radiological services at the Seychelles Hospital Dr Radha Krishan Verma then took the guests around the modern facility.

Dr Verma said the centre will completely change the way diagnosis is done at the hospital, saying for example,  x-ray images will be relayed by digital means making the traditional x-ray films unnecessary.

“It will also be possible to retrieve a patient’s records immediately or send them to other hospitals in a matter of seconds as soon as these other centres get their computer terminals,” he said.

The machines at the hospital are also so fast that while the older ones needed people to hold down some agitated patients not to move, “these ones is so fast we will easily get the images we need”, he said, giving the new Magnetic Resonance Imaging equipment as an example.

It was Dr Verma who said 97% of the diagnosis can now be done here, and that the centre – which starts working today, has teleconference facilities through which doctors here can consult with others overseas once it is linked by satellite.

President Michel later said:

“This centre will radically transform our health system, and give the specialised tools for the early detection of diseases and medical conditions. We are now able to create the platform to ensure that advanced medical treatment can be offered in our country. This centre has the best facilities for diagnosis and will provide opportunities for health professionals to train and develop their capacities, as well as help their patients more effectively.

 “We are deeply grateful to the President and the people of the United Arab Emirates for this generous gift. It is a testament to the special friendship between Seychelles and the UAE, and it reminds us of the great importance we give to the health and wellbeing of our people,” said Mr Michel.

He said the diagnostic centre is an important step towards improving the health system, as it will enable early detection of medical conditions, but that ultimately health promotion work also needs to be done to ensure that healthy living is encouraged in order to enable disease control and prevention.

Dr Qassim thanked the people of Seychelles for their friendly nature and conveyed the greetings of the people of the UAE especially Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

“Our two countries enjoy close ties with the friendly relations shared between our two leaders, HH Sheikh  Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and President James Alix Michel,” he said.

“It is with this spirit of friendship that we are celebrating the opening of a very important centre for health care.”

He said the project is important to the people of the UAE and has the latest equipment.
“We know that early detection is the most effective way to manage and cure diseases,” he said, adding that is what the centre will be able to do.

“Our common interests in health care are aligned. We both care deeply about the health of our people and this partnership expresses our commitment to each other in this regard.

“We look forward to hearing many success stories from this centre. Please share these stories with us so we can celebrate the successes with you,” he said.
Dr Athanasius, who prior to her appointment was working at the hospital as a doctor, said:

“Most of us remember the dark, crammed old x-ray building which stood not far from here less than two years ago.
“It represented another time, a past tense, and it was, slowly but surely, becoming an affront to our modern health care system.

“Medical practitioners and other health professionals will no doubt remember how we had vociferously called on government to do something promptly.

“At no time, however, did we expect that the old building would be totally brought down to the ground and that something this grand would replace it!

“As usual, government has more than taken note of our request and surpassed our expectations by every measure possible.

“Through the resolute personal intervention of President Michel, and  the generosity of His Highness, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, this magnificent two-storey building is now proudly poised at the heart of health care in Seychelles.”

She thanked Mr Michel and Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, “for this great gift to the people of Seychelles”.
Father Roger Decommarmond and Imam Ahmed Labiche blessed the new facility.