[Health] A New Trauma Unit Inaugurated at Jeetoo Hospital

The Dr Abdool Gaffoor Jeetoo Hospital in Port-Louis officially inaugurated its new Trauma and Emergency Unit on Wednesday, May 14. The ceremony was presided over by the Minister of Health and Wellness, Anil Bachoo, alongside his counterparts from the Ministry of Labour, Reza Uteem, and the Ministry of Land Transport, Osman Mahomed, as well as MP Farhad Aumeer.

This project, part of the 2025 budget measures aimed at modernizing public health services, includes a new operating room for minor interventions. The centerpiece of the unit is a color-coded triage system—red, yellow, and green—designed to streamline patient care based on the severity of their condition.

Specifically, patients classified as red require immediate intervention to preserve their lives; those in yellow need urgent medical attention; and patients in green, whose condition is less critical, can wait for evaluation. Minister Bachoo emphasized that this system aims to "reduce unnecessary delays" and allow emergency services to operate "more safely and efficiently."

Jeetoo Hospital is not the first to benefit from such a structure; a similar unit was inaugurated in March at Flacq Hospital. The government plans to extend this initiative to three other facilities: Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam National Hospital (SSRN), Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, and Victoria Hospital.

"With the establishment of these units in our regional hospitals, we are bringing our system closer to international standards," stated Minister Bachoo, highlighting that this initiative is part of a broader reform of the public health system, focusing on investment in infrastructure and strengthening specialized services.

The ceremony also honored healthcare workers. Minister Bachoo praised the "hard work and dedication" of doctors, nurses, and other frontline staff, while firmly condemning the physical and verbal violence they sometimes face. He specifically lamented a recent attack on SAMU (Emergency Medical Service) teams dispatched to Petite Rivière following a road accident. The minister assured that all necessary measures would be taken to protect healthcare professionals and their vehicles.

Minister Uteem stressed the importance of providing staff with appropriate working conditions and adequate psychological support to prevent burnout. Meanwhile, Minister Mahomed reminded that in terms of trauma related to road accidents, "time is a determining factor," thereby underscoring the direct utility of such units for road victims.

Successful First Kidney Transplant at Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital

Mauritius made a significant medical milestone on Thursday, May 15, with the successful completion of its first kidney transplant at the kidney transplant unit of Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital in Rose Belle. The procedure was conducted by a team of international specialists in collaboration with local surgeons and staff, including Dr. Sonal Asthana from Aster CMI Hospital in Bengaluru (India), as well as Drs. Sanju Sobnach and Bernd Strobele, transplant surgeons at Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town (South Africa).

Minister of Health Anil Bachoo commended the procedure and announced that arrangements are underway to enable this type of surgery to be performed locally, eliminating the need for patients to travel abroad. The unit received support from the Indian government, whose High Commissioner in Mauritius, Anurag Srivastava, emphasized the commitment to enhancing Mauritian healthcare infrastructure.