The Ministry of Health and Quality of Life is working on the modalities for the setting up of a 150-bed eye hospital in Reduit, which is expected to be completed within two years’ time.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Health and Quality of Life, Dr Anwar Husnoo, yesterday at the donation of equipment by the Teaching Eye Surgery (T.E.S) Foundation of Switzerland to the Ophthalmology Department of Souillac Hospital.
According to Dr Husnoo, the setting up of a new modern eye hospital is essential so as to reduce patient overload at Subramania Bharathi Eye Hospital in Moka, and address the increasing health consequences associated with an ageing population and the complications related to high prevalence of diabetes, mainly diabetic retinopathy.
He highlighted the successful partnership of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life with T.E.S Foundation which has yielded positive results since its inception in 2006 and thanked the Foundation for its collaboration in improving service delivery for the betterment of Mauritian patients.
During the 12 years of cooperation, some 500 patients have undergone corneal transplants; the eye hospital in Moka and the Ophthalmology Department in Souillac Hospital have received latest ultrasound machines and probes and other biometric equipment; and local doctors have been able to acquire latest surgery techniques from international experts.
The Minister moreover commended the efforts of the staff of Souillac Hospital where 5,227 cataract surgeries have been carried out since the coming into operation of the Ophthalmology services in January 2015. He added that the expert team from T.E.S Foundation praised the staff for their efficiency and assistance while the team was performing surgical procedures at the hospital.
Partnership with the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life
At the donation ceremony, the President of T.E.S and Ophthalmologist-in-Chief from the University of Geneva, Professor Cyrus Tabatabay, handed over equipment worth Rs 2 million to Souillac Hospital. The equipment comprise a Visulas Yas Laser for targeted secondary cataract and glaucoma therapy, and an optical biometry device for the calculation of the intensity of intraocular lenses.
T.E.S Foundation, an international humanitarian foundation in Ophthalmology registered in Switzerland, has partnered with the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life, through provision of training to doctors in latest surgical techniques and donation of hi-tech equipment. In collaboration with the Lions Club of Port Louis and Weill Cornell Hospital of New York, T.E.S Foundation intend to perform some 50 corneal transplants this year.
A cohort of 25 patients has already undergone corneal transplants in Souillac this week. The Lions Club of Port Louis provided the corneal grafts.
Source: Government of Mauritius