Mauritius News

New cancer cases are on the decrease in Mauritius.  According to the National Cancer Registry Report 2018, released on the occasion of the World Cancer Day 2020, new cancer cases have decreased by 3.3% in 2018 as compared to 2017. The three most common types of cancer among females are breast cancer, colorectal and ovaries cancers while prostate, colorectal and lung cancers are more prevalent among males in Mauritius.  There were 2380 new cancer cases, that is, 959 among males and 1421 among females in 2018 in Mauritius, which represents a general decrease of 2.8 % of new cancer cases. The Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Hon. Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal,  during the official launching of activities to mark World Cancer Day 2020 at L’Escalier Mediclinic, made an appeal to the population to go for free screening services available across the country.  Dr Hon. K. K. S. Jagutpal pointed out the fact that “early detection of cancer greatly increases the chances for successful treatment and reduces the risks of premature death”.   

Nutritionists, Public Health Nursing Officers, Nursing Officers, Chief and Principal Midwives and Health Care Assistants in the Republic of Mauritius have been empowered during a Training of Facilitators on child growth assessment and WHO Child Growth Standard from 10-13 February 2020 at Gold Crest, Quatre Bornes. The main objective of the training was to empower health workers on growth assessment using additional indicators, data analysis and reporting of anthropometric data in the context of strengthening the National Nutrition Surveillance System in Mauritius and Rodrigues.  This important capacity building workshop was conducted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in collaboration with the World Health Organization in response to the need to have a holistic information system that can continuously collect, analyze and interpret data related to nutrition.  Dr Hana Bekele, Nutrition Advisor from the WHO Regional Office for Africa/Intercountry Support Team for East and Southern Africa (IST/ESA), facilitated the training.

Dr Bhoshan Ori, Director Health Services of the Ministry of Health and Wellness launched the National Roadmap Framework to Improve Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, developed in collaboration with WHO, at the Gold Crest Hotel in Quatre Bornes on 03 February 2020. The Roadmap aims at promoting a woman-centred as well as an evidence-based approach.  Prior to the development of the Roadmap, the Ministry of Health and Wellness conducted an intensive consultation with stakeholders to facilitate implementation.

A Policy workshop was held on 19 December 2019 by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in close collaboration with WHO with the aim of building consensus on the National Laboratory Policy.    The participation of a wide range of stakeholders including development partners, professional users and technical experts such as laboratory scientists, engineers, clinicians, pathologists, public health experts, health economists and financers was crucial in view of developing  an efficient, cost-effective and sustainable quality health laboratory service. There is need for a National  Laboratory Policy  to ensure safety and reliability of health laboratories.  The policy will also provide a framework for coordinated delivery of quality and accessible laboratory services country-wide.  Mauritius is committed to develop and implement its National laboratory policy to ensure quality health to the population.

The Awarding Ceremony for the National Anti-Tobacco ‘Fresque Murale’ Inter-College Competition took place on 30 September 2019 at the R. Gandhi Science Centre, Bell Village in the presence of the high officials from the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life, Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research and WHO Representative in Mauritius, Dr Laurent Musango. Dr Bhoshun Ori, Director Health Services during his welcome address recalled that the National Anti-Tobacco Mural Painting Inter-Collage Competition was organized in June 2019 in the context of the World No-Tobacco Day 2019.  The aim of the competition was to deter the very first puff among young school youth.  A total of twenty-two private and public secondary schools registered for the competition.  Students in group of 5 to 8, led by their respective teachers, conceptualized mural painting at their respective schools according to the technical guidelines set.  A panel of juries comprising technical officers from the ministries of Health and Education, chaired by Dr Ori, Director Health Services, reviewed and assessed the entries based on well-defined criteria which include creativity, relevance and presentation among others. Dr Laurent Musango, WHO Representative in Mauritius, during his speech, congratulated all the students who participated in the competition.  ‘You are winners in this competition’, he told the students present.  During the competition, you have sensitized your peers and everyone at schools on the harmful effects of smoking.  ‘Young people underestimate the likelihood of becoming addicted to nicotine when they first tried to smoke’, emphasized Dr Musango. 

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the WHO Africa Region discussed Pooled Procurement Programme to reduce costs and improve access to quality medicines during a First Technical Meeting held in Mauritius from 16 to 18 July 2019. Directors Pharmaceutical Services, Heads of regulatory and procurements agencies, finance experts and other key stakeholders from SIDS countries of the African Region, namely Cabo Verde, Comoros, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe and Seychelles participated in this important meeting. Madagascar also joined the meeting which aimed at building consensus towards the effective implementation of the SIDS Pooled Procurement Program in line with the Seychelles Declaration of September 2017 wherein Health Ministers expressed interest to implement a Pooled Procurement mechanism.

The Prime Minister Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth presented on 11 June 2019 the National Budget for year2019-2020.  According to Hon. P. K. Jugnauth, the 2019-2020 is a budget that speaks to the aspirations of youth, men and women and above all, to the well-being of the Mauritian population. The Government of Mauritius is placing high priority on improving health and the well-being of the population, especially by addressing Noncommunicable Diseases, and this is reflected in some of the majors decisions announced by the Prime Minister

The efforts made by the Republic of Mauritius and its commitment and leadership in the African Region were recognized by the World Health Organization during the World No-Tobacco Day 2019.   Dr Hon Anwar Husnoo, Minister of Health and Quality of Life received the ‘Certificate of Appreciation’ from Dr Laurent Musango, WHO Representative in Mauritius on behalf of Dr Tedros, Director General and Dr Moeti, Regional Director of the World Health Organization during the celebration of the event on 30 May 2019 at S. Virahsawmy State Secondary School in Rivière du Rempart.