Victoria Hospital passes surgeons' test |13 October 2004

Doctors studying under the regional College of Surgeons can therefore now pursue professional programmes here and be certified by the college, which is affiliated to the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

This came to light Tuesday October 12 at the National Institute of Education, where delegates from the region attended an East, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA) Health Community conference and workshop, both organised to commemorate ECSA's 30th anniversary.

"I am pleased to note that the recent evaluation of our surgical services has concluded that Victoria Hospital has the facilities and meets the standards for professional programmes as part of the college," Health Minister Patrick Pillay said in a speech read for him by principal secretary (PS) Maurice Loustau-Lalanne (PS).

The PS later told Seychelles Nation that the college's head, along with another surgeon, were sent here from Arusha to do the evaluation and decide whether the hospital meets the necessary standards for it to offer courses to surgeons of the region.

"They have agreed that it is technically feasible, and they have put us into their programmes," he said.

He said that also means that when doctors are trained here, the qualifications they will acquire will be recognisable and common to the ECSA region.

"Seychellois surgeons can now register to be members of the college, which is affiliated to the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh," he said, adding that the development gives Seychellois surgeons an additional professional qualification.

He said it also gives Seychelles another benchmark and a recognisable standard in the region.

The conference started with a "flag march-in" by students from the National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS) who carried the national flags of the 14 countries represented at the workshop and who also sang Africa's famed Swahili song, Malaika.

Special advisor in the ministry, Dr Conrad Shamlaye, gave a background of ECSA.
Dr Bernard Valentin presented a paper entitled: "The quality of care" while Dr Anne Gabriel presented one by the name: "The scaling up of retroviral therapy in Seychelles".

Since 1505, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh has been dedicated to the maintenance and promotion of the highest standards of surgical practice, through its keen interest in education, training and rigorous examination and through its liaison with external medical bodies.

The college will be celebrating its quincentenary next year, and prides itself also on its innovation and adaptability.