Victoria Hospital receives new ambulance |11 December 2004

The ambulance, which has cost the agency some R250,000, was donated by the agency’s managing director, Jamshed Pardiwalla to Vice-President Joseph Belmont in a small ceremony at State House on Friday.

After he had presented the keys to Vice-President Belmont, Mr Pardiwalla said that the donation was a way of giving back to the community some of the agency’s profits.

He said he was aware that there was a “chronic need for an ambulance”, which in time of need can save lives.

On behalf of the Seychelles government, Vice-President Belmont thanked the agency for the donation, which he said shows the cooperation that exists between the private sector and the government.

The new ambulance, Vice-President Belmont said, would definitely ease the pressure on the service at the Victoria Hospital.
According to Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, principal secretary for Health, there are at present only 10 ambulances, which serve all health centres on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.

He said that the current fleet is not enough to give the best service to the community and noted that the new one will be based at the Casualty Unit at the Victoria Hospital.

Also present at the small ceremony was the Minister for Health Patrick Pillay.