Seychelles Hospital – new name to better reflect role |17 February 2011
He was speaking during an interview at the Ministry of Health headquarters to explain the change affecting the country’s main referral hospital, one that cares for every Seychellois from birth to death.
Most medical practices in Seychelles converge there, he said. All local and private medical practices in the country use the hospital in one way or another, for diagnostic purposes, for referral purposes or even to dispose of medical waste.
“Every person has, at some point in their lives, been using the facilities here so we felt the name Seychelles Hospital reflects more what this place means in the lives of each citizen,” he said.
Dr Valentin said when the hospital was built in 1920, the name Seychelles Hospital was given to it. A return to that name forms part of a major rebranding of the hospital, which will include new services, renovation work and an upgrade of older facilities.
He said there is a strong effort to bring about changes to improve infrastructure, procedures and quality of care.
Dr Valentin said in 2006-07 work started on a new laboratory, and in 2009 on the diagnostic centre to replace the old X-ray building.
“We feel it is now time to move on to other areas in the hospital that need to be renovated,” he said.
In two weeks’ time work will start in the surgical block, and as a result the D’Offay and Hermitte wards will be closed for renovation.
The entire interiors of the two wards will become more modern, and room facilities for patients needing special care will be increased and upgraded. Changes to visitor access to the wards will also be made.
When this work is finished renovation will start in all operating rooms, and a central medical store will be build.
Changes will also be made at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and dialysis centre during 2011-12.
Dr Valentin said there is a shortage of space for the number of patients the dialysis centre now caters for.
“There is a need for a spacious area in the hospital that can cater for more equipment and bring added comfort to the patients,” he said.
Patients in the psychiatric ward will be moved to the wellness hospital being built at Anse Royale, and this ward will be used as the new dialysis centre.
Dr Valentin said the ICU will be moved to the current occupational therapy area, and work will be carried out to extend it.
A high-care unit will replace the present ICU to cater for patients who need more intensive care than is given on the wards but do not need to be in the ICU.
The renovation work is being fully funded by the government and is due to take between six and seven months to complete.
The central medical store will cost around R10.6 million, with R10m budgeted for renovating the two wards in the surgical blocks and R25m for the operating theatres.