Promoting access to quality health care for all

Measures to improve health care facilities comprise: the setting up of a new Renal Transplant Unit at the Jawaharlall Nehru Hospital; the construction of a modern warehouse for pharmaceutical products; the completion of the new Cancer Hospital and the ENT Hospital; the construction of a New Eye Hospital at the Réduit Triangle; and a New Flacq Teaching Hospital.

Provision has also been made for:

·         a new Mediclinic at Floréal which will start operations this year;

·         the construction of four other Mediclinics at Quartier Militaire, Stanley, Coromandel and Bel Air;

·         the construction of seven new Health Centres; and

·         the purchase of a new mobile caravan for HIV testing.

Furthermore, with a view to increase human resources in hospitals, Budget 2019-2020 is providing for the recruitment of 538 medical and non-medical personnel, including some 40 more Nursing Officers to be trained in community health nursing so as to reinforce the on-going vaccination programme.

Government is also promoting private health care by providing Rs 200 million for the implementation of a Medical Insurance Scheme for public sector employees. The insurance premium for those earning less than Rs 10 000 will be fully sponsored by the Government while for those earning more than Rs 10 000, a contribution of 50% of the premium will be made.

In a bid to boost the standards of food for better state of health, the Budget also caters for the establishment of a Food Standards Agency so as to set standards on fast food and soft drinks as well as for the certification of vegetarian and halal foods, among others; and the boosting up of the supply of wheat flour fortified with iron and folic acid in order to address the problem of high incidence of anaemia among women.

Government will also invest to harness the potential of Biotechnology with a view to improve food processes and health care, namely, through the introduction of a regulatory framework for classification and registration of nutraceuticals; the amendment of the Clinical Trials Act (CTA) so as to provide for registration of Contract Research Organizations with the Clinical Research Regulatory Council; the review of the CTA to make necessary amendments regarding trials involving medical devices; and the introduction of a regulatory framework aligned with the EU-Directives and US standards for stem cell research and therapy.