Men’s clinic to open at Anse Royale Hospital |20 July 2015

As from August 22, the Anse Royale Hospital will be offering a weekly men’s clinic which will benefit male patients from the southern region of Mahé.

The clinic, which will run every Saturday from 8.30am to 12 noon, was officially launched on Saturday morning in the presence of the deputy chief executive of the Health Care Agency Dr. Danny Louange, director general for community health Nicholas Shame-Laye, staff of the Anse Royale Hospital and a group of men from the three south Mahé districts of Anse Royale, Takamaka and Baie Lazare.

According to Nurse Eldrick Dodin who will be in charge of the clinic, it will permit to detect ailments early, resulting in more successful treatment.

He added that services will include screening for diabetes and hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, as well as for men-related diseases such as prostate cancer.

Screening for other cancers will also be done with possibility of referral to a specialist in case of complications.

Patients will also benefit from counselling and support against cigarette smoking, drugs and alcohol abuse as well as treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and other sexual problems.

Mr Dodin explained that while men’s overall life expectancy and health has improved substantially over the last decades, statistics have shown that women by far outlive men in Seychelles, and this is why the Ministry of Health has taken the initiative to decentralise the service.

“When we look at the statistics, men are really vulnerable to health problems compared to women,” he said.

In a presentation, Dr Vanessa Thélémaque confirmed that men are being diagnosed with more medical complications while they report to the clinic less and are more reluctant to take medicines. At the same time, she added, women adopt a healthier life style than men.

“Men are more at risk due to unhealthy life style. For example, 49.5 of women are taking steps to control or reduce their body weight compared to only 36.7 of men. More men die of cancer or strokes. There is also a higher prevalence of diabetes-related complications,” she highlighted.

Concerning diabetes which has become really chronic in Seychelles, she insisted that the disease is not mortal if properly controlled.

“You can live with diabetes if you know how. It is not a death sentence,” she said.

Dr Thélémaque also ensured the men present that it is not true that all hypertension treatments reduce sexual performance and that they should not shy away from clinics because of this perception.

In line with the Ministry of Health’s slogan – ‘My health, my responsibility’ -, Dr Louange reminded the importance for men to take their health seriously.  

He stressed that the situation is alarming as while life expectancy is increasing in the world, in general men are closing the gap over women.

He added that the situation is however different in Seychelles where women outlive men, and this is a concern for the Ministry of Health.

“We therefore have to address the situation. The Ministry of Health provides all necessary services and treatment with the possibility of some specialised treatment overseas. If conditions are detected early, it will be easier to treat. Unfortunately, the situation is that many patients are now turning up when it is too late,” Dr Louange said.

He however concluded that the group of men present at the Anse Royale clinic on Saturday was an encouraging sign.

He asked them to now go out and spread the message to other men in the community and invite them to come forward and attend the men’s clinic, which he reminded is being offered free of charge.