Republic of Mauritius- Free medication for hepatitis C patients

He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a new Area Health Centre in Petite Rivière in presence of the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Jagutpal, and other eminent personalities.

Addressing the public, the Prime Minister underlined that Government is investing massively in the construction of state-of-the-art health infrastructures and in the upgrading of public healthcare facilities to enhance the quality of life of the population with better services put at their disposal. 

This modern facility, he said, is the first in its kind to be endowed with a gymnasium equipped with essential healthcare services to serve some 16 500 inhabitants of the region. He indicated that it will help to decentralise the services of hospitals while also ensuring more proximity for the citizens.

Speaking on the novel coronavirus, he expressed satisfaction with regard to the precautionary measures put in place by the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the World Health Organisation Office in Mauritius. He appealed to the population to fully collaborate and follow all preventive guidelines so as to be safe and pointed out that this situation will negatively impact on the economy of the country.

Prime Minister Jugnauth also dwelt on the various projects in the health sector aiming to improving healthcare services in the country. He spoke of the recently inaugurated ENT hospital costing some Rs 900 million. The other projects that are in the pipeline are a Centre for the treatment of cancer amounting to Rs 1 billion; a new eye hospital to the tune of some Rs 700 million; a University hospital in Flacq amounting to Rs 4 billion; a new laboratory to conduct medical tests; and an e-health programme to increase the overall efficiency and effectiveness of health services.

Government, he added, will revise the Overseas Treatment Scheme and will increase the financial assistance to patients proceeding abroad for treatment from Rs 800,000 to Rs 1 million. In addition, the cost of air tickets for a person accompanying the patient will be borne by Government, he added.

The Prime Minister also referred to the construction of other mediclinics namely in Quartier Militaire, Stanley, Bel-Air, Coromandel, Saint Francois Xavier and Roche Bois while recalling that a new mediclinic has been inaugurated on 30 January 2020 in Floréal. 

He encouraged the population to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating properly and doing physical exercises. He reiterated that Government will continue in its stride to put facilities such as health tracks and multi-use games areas at the disposal of people.

For his part, Minister Jagutpal stated that the Area Health Centre has been constructed to cater for a greater number of persons in the face of an increase in the number of patients. He underlined that more than Rs 12 billion is invested in the health sector so that the population remains in good health.

Petite Rivière Area Health Centre

The new Area Health Centre, constructed to the tune of some Rs 38 million will comprise basic health services, family planning/maternal and child health services, community-based rehabilitation services, obstetrics/ gynaecology and paediatric clinics, echography tests for pregnant women, dental clinic, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Clinic, and pharmacy services.

The Centre will operate on a daily basis as from 08 00 to 18 00 hours. On Saturdays, it will be open from 08 00 hours to noon. On Sundays and public holidays, the opening hours are from 09 00 till noon.