Health ministry and WHO sign 2024-2025 biennial programme |20 February 2024
Minister Vidot and WHO resident representative in Seychelles Rex Mpazanje signing the documents (Photo: Joena Meme)
Seychelles’ budget space allocation increases to US $2.9 million
The Ministry of Health and World Health Organisation signed a biennial programme of action for the years 2024 and 2025 yesterday at L’Escale Resort Marina & Spa. The signing formalises the consensus between the two entities to enhance healthcare and well-being in Seychelles which is benefitting from an increased budget space of US $2.9 million for the 2024-2025 biennium.
Minister for Health Peggy Vidot and resident representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Seychelles, Rex Mpazanje signed the documents.
The programme is built on a comprehensive four-pillar strategy outlined in the new Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS).
The first priority is to enhance healthy living and accelerate actions to address risk factors and determinants of health and secondly to enhance universal health coverage and service quality and address priority non-communicable and communicable diseases.
Principal policy analyst within the Ministry of Health, Sanjeev Pugazhendhi emphasised the importance of ensuring access to healthcare for all citizens, at minimum financial risk to them.
"Our focus will be on improving service quality within the government healthcare system and fostering better coordination with the private sector," Dr Pugazhendhi stated.
Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and cancer pose significant health risks, as the leading causes of death among the Seychellois population. Dr Pugazhendhi highlighted the urgency in addressing these risk factors through various Ministry of Health programmes.
Furthermore, the country's cooperation strategy aims to protect the population against public health emergencies. Presently, the health ministry is closely monitoring the cholera outbreak in Africa, and neighbouring Comoros island.
Additionally, efforts will be directed towards enhancing World Health Organisation’s (WHO) technical health support through leadership, advocacy, and innovations for health.
“There are a lot of new partners entering the health field, and we want better mechanisms for coordination among the partners so we can better synergise our efforts to improve the impacts on the population’s health,” Dr Pugazhendi added.
The four-pillar strategy is in line with the strategic directions of the Seychelles National Health Strategic Plan.
Resident representative of WHO in Seychelles, Rex Mpazanje announced an increase in budget space allocated to Seychelles, demonstrating WHO's commitment to supporting the country's healthcare initiatives. Seychelles budget space is USD $2.9 million for the 2024-2025 biennium, as compared to almost $2 million for the 2022-2023 biennium.
Dr Mpazanje explained that this decision was influenced by several factors, including a World Health Assembly decision to progressively increase member state contributions, and Seychelles' advocacy for concessional funding and development assistance, despite its high-income status.
Seychelles has opted to use a significant portion of the allocated budget space for the biennium 2024-2025, driven by recent developments and increased funding expectations.
Dr Mpazanje expressed optimism regarding continued support from partners in securing funding for Seychelles’ health development.
“We are hoping that the goodwill of the partners giving WHO will continue even in the absence of Covid. We expect that the headquarters and even the regional office will be able to mobilise more resources and pass that money to country level,” Dr Mpajanze asserted.
WHO plays a crucial role in supporting member states like Seychelles in implementing healthcare strategies, offering technical support, and facilitating health-related dialogues to inform decision-making. During the Covid-19 pandemic, WHO provided additional support for programme implementation.
The signing of the biennial programme of action marks a significant step forward in addressing key healthcare challenges, and ensuring access to quality healthcare services for all citizens.
Minister for Health, Peggy Vidot during her remarks asserted the urgency for Seychelles to maintain its strengths and gains in the health sector, while also working harder to address weaknesses. This should form the basis of both domestic health funding and international support to Seychelles’ health sector, she added.
Laura Pillay