An inauguration ceremony of the Catheterisation Laboratory donated by the Government of Japan to the Government of Mauritius was held, on Monday, at the Trust Fund for Specialised Medical Care, Cardiac Centre, in Pamplemousses.
The inauguration ceremony was performed by the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal; the Parliamentary Private Secretary, Mr Sharvanand Ramkaun; and the Ambassador of Japan in Mauritius, Mr Suichiro Kawaguchi.
In his address, Dr Jagutpal commended the continuous support of the Government of Japan to Mauritius especially as regards the improvement of health services. He recalled that over the years, the partnership between the two nations has witnessed remarkable achievements, ranging from the enhancement of medical facilities to the implementation of cutting-edge technologies.
He rejoiced that the collaborative endeavours between Mauritius and Japan have significantly improved the quality of healthcare services and strengthened the overall healthcare infrastructure in Mauritius. The Government of Japan has donated medical equipment under the Economic and Social Development Programme in the context of COVID-19 measures to the tune of 300 million Japanese Yen, approximately Rs 115 million, he highlighted.
He also stated that the Government of Japan has, this year, extended the grant under the Economic and Social Development Programme to the tune of 550 million Japanese Yen, approximately Rs 175 million and the contract signature was held in September 2022.
Furthermore, he indicated that five Thermography Machines, two Negative Pressure, one X-Ray machine and one Angiography Machine have been donated under the first grant of the Economic and Social Development Programme of the Government of Japan. The Japanese Government, he recalled, also supported the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects under which the Ministry of Health and Wellness received a Digital Mammography which is functional at Dr A. G. Jeetoo Hospital; and with digitalisation initiatives through the United Nations Development Programme to combat COVID-19 with the implementation of a Laboratory Information Management System.
He added that the machine is also equipped for radiological interventions including needle grilled procedures. Furthermore, the machine offers the possibility to perform CT Scan both plain and with contrast as well as 3-D scans and it also possesses a Dose Tracking System to assess the amount of radiation delivered to a patient, he pointed out.
While acknowledging the economic development of Mauritius and the rise in the standard of living of the Mauritian population, he however deplored that it has given rise to a sedentary lifestyle where many people are now exposed to conditions affecting their blood vessels. Therefore, with a growing demand for angiography, the new and additional procurement of Angiography has the potential to reduce the physical burdens of patients undergoing treatments as well as the burdens of the healthcare system, he said.
Ambassador Suichiro Kawaguchi underpinned that health prosperity is important and therefore Japan has decided to help in strengthening the health sector in Mauritius. He emphasised that Japan has been assisting Mauritius and Rodrigues in their healthcare system but intensified its assistance and support since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 where Japan decided to grant 300 million Japanese Yen for the procurement of medical equipment to help the country countermeasure the pandemic.
Catheterisation procedure
Catheterisation is the introduction of a catheter, that is a thin, hollow tube into a body channel, cavity such as bladder, trachea, or heart. Catheterisation is done for various purposes such as testing or treating certain heart or blood vessel problems, draining fluids or widening a passage.
