Republic of Mauritius- Health Sector Strategic Plan 2020-2024 to address health challenges, says PM

The Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, made this statement, today, at the launching of the HSSP at the Hennessy Park Hotel, in Ebène. A dissemination workshop to further elaborate on the strategic plan was also held.  The Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal, and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Representative in Mauritius, Dr Laurent Musango, were present.

According to Mr Jugnauth, the HSSP 2020-2024 aims at turning into reality the vision of a nation where everyone has the opportunity to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

The provision of free healthcare services for the past five decades has been beneficial for the population, the Prime Minister further pointed out. On this score, he underlined that Mauritius is performing well on three health indicators, namely an improved life expectancy at birth, currently at 74.4 years; a decline to 14.5 % in infant mortality rate; and a decrease in maternal mortality, per 100,000 live births which stands at 62 years.

With regard to the COVID-19, Prime Minister Jugnauth remarked that with the implementation of timely measures, including the lockdown, Mauritius has been able to manage the spread of the pandemic. To this end, he emphasised the need to rethink the country’s approach to pandemic preparedness and give new directions to the health system’s response. Another public health issue that deserves focused attention, he said, is the prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) among the population.  NCDs, he highlighted, account for 80% of the disease burden and 85% of mortality in the country.

Speaking on the implementation of the HSSP 2020-2024, the Prime Minister indicated that an estimated amount of Rs 67.7 billion will be required for the provision of healthcare services in the public sector. He added that the European Union, the WHO, the African Development Bank, the University of York and countries such as India have expressed their intention to financially and technically support the implementation of this plan.

For his part, Minister Jagutpal, stated that the HSSP 2020-2024 addresses the forthcoming challenges related to an ageing population, the accelerated use of new technologies in the dissemination of efficient medical care and the probability of a new disease outbreak. The Ministry, he added, will continue to pursue its efforts in modernising health infrastructure and providing improved health outcomes for the population.