The first day of President Dr. Patrick Herminie’s Official State Visit to the Republic of India concluded with a significant health-sector engagement in Chennai, marked by meaningful interactions with Seychellois patients and strategic exchanges with leading medical institutions to advance partnerships that will enhance access, expertise, and modern healthcare services in Seychelles.
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During the visit, President Herminie met personally with the patients and their families, including a fellow colleague, Dr. Lawrence Reginald, conveying the Government’s solidarity and best wishes for their recovery. Accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs. Véronique Herminie, and the Minister for Health, Dr. Marvin Fanny, the President took time to listen to the patients’ experiences and reaffirmed the Government’s firm commitment to ensuring access to quality, compassionate, and specialised healthcare for all Seychellois, both at home and abroad.
President Herminie also held substantive discussions with SIMS Hospital management and medical professionals, focusing on strengthening cooperation to support Seychelles’ national health system. The exchanges explored opportunities in specialised treatment, capacity-building, medical training, pharmaceutical supply, and healthcare workforce support.
Areas of potential collaboration discussed included technical and manpower expertise, medical technology such as real-time patient data systems adaptable for use in Seychelles, , dialysis unit expansion, and structured professional exchanges whereby Seychellois healthcare professionals receive specialised training in Chennai, while nursing support from Chennai is extended to Seychelles.
As a concrete outcome of these discussions, a team of technical and medical experts from SIMS Hospital is expected to visit Seychelles in March to conduct a situational analysis and develop a comprehensive plan to support the continued strengthening and modernisation of the country’s healthcare system.
On behalf of the President’s delegation, the Minister for Health, Dr. Marvin Fanny, noted that the visit provides a valuable opportunity to secure specialised and technical support aligned with the Government’s and the Ministry’s strategic plans to upgrade and modernise the Seychelles healthcare services, while also allowing officials to assess firsthand the conditions and needs of Seychellois patients receiving treatment in Chennai.
Later on the same day, President Herminie and his delegation undertook a second visit to the Balaji Dental&Craniofacial Hospital in Chennai. The hospital is led by the renowned Dr. Bala, who served for decades at Seychelles Hospital and provided dental and maxillofacial surgical care to countless Seychellois. The visit offered an opportunity for the President to convey the Government’s sincere appreciation to Dr. Bala for his long-standing dedication and outstanding service to the people of Seychelles, while also exploring new avenues of cooperation in specialised dental and craniofacial care.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.
