The Pharmacy Department of the Ministry overlooks the Pharmacy Services of both the Public and the Private sector. The main duties and responsibilities are to ensure that

• the population at large have access to drugs which are of required Quality, safety and efficacy.
• the Practice of Pharmacy is in line with the Pharmacy Act 1983, Dangerous Drugs Act 2000 and the Pharmacy Council Act 2015.

The Pharmacy Department of the Ministry is supported by 37 Government Pharmacists and 97 Pharmacy Technicians posted at different points of Service throughout the Island.  Pharmacists are posted at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Central Supplies Division, Main and Specialised Hospital Pharmacies whereas the Pharmacy Technicians ensure the dispensing activities at Hospital Pharmacies, Area Health Centres, CHCS, and Mediclinics.

The Medicines list of the Ministry incorporates the Essential Medicines recommended by the World Health Organization and is continuously updated by the pool of technical experts. The Pharmacovigilance Department of the Ministry is being upgraded and shall henceforth ensure that medications in use in the country are closely monitored for safety.

The Pharmacy Board is responsible for the exercise of control over the manufacture, importation, distribution and sale of medications in the country. Moreover, the Board is also responsible for the grant of licence for the operation of retail and wholesale pharmacies. Presently there are 380 Community Pharmacies operating throughout the Island and 45 Wholesale Pharmacies. The Pharmacy Council regulate and control the profession of Pharmacists and also promote the advancement in the field of Pharmacy. Among others, the Pharmacy Council register Pharmacists and Pre-registered trainees, exercise and maintain discipline in the profession of pharmacists.  As at date, there are 555 Pharmacists registered with the Pharmacy Council of Mauritius.

The policy in Oral Health Care is to improve access, quality and delivery of Dental Services by, inter-alia, reducing waiting time, putting emphasis on customer care and using latest medical technologies.

As at date, the total number of Dental Clinics was 55 (including in Rodrigues and Agalega) at Hospital and Primary Health Care level providing routine dental care and 13 Specialised Dental Clinics (Oral Surgery, Orthodontics and Endodontics) in 4 Regional Hospitals. At Dr. Bruno Cheong Hospital, these Specialised Services are covered by Specialists from SSRN Hospital for the time being.

A National Plan of Action for Oral Health for the next 5 years has been finalised and launched on 01 June 2022. The main objectives of the Action Plan are:

• Oral Health Promotion mainly to improve Oral Health literacy;
• Integration of Oral Health into National Health Policy;
• Oral Health preventive strategies as opposed to approaches that emphasise treatment of existing disease with a view to strengthening prevention and early intervention programmes;
• Consideration of workforce models that maximise efficiency;
• Infrastructural development and facilities;
• Development of accurate surveillance systems to define the oral disease burden which will improve population data on Oral Health status and enhance Oral Health promotion research;
• Evaluating and monitoring the concentration of fluoride for caries control;
• Phasing down the use of mercury in dental amalgam;
• Oral Health rehabilitation strategies; and
• Oral Health research approaches.

The primary role of the Service d’Aide Médicale Urgente (SAMU) services is to provide on-site pre-hospital medical treatment and stabilize critical and vital emergencies during transport, thus keeping in pace with the concept of the golden hour. The SAMU also perform secondary inter hospital transfers of severely ill patients for CT scans, MRI, Primary and Rescue Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), etc. as well as aero medical transfers.

The SAMU Control Room 114 which is functional on a 24-hour basis all year round is situated at Victoria hospital. Around 1,000 calls are attended daily and based on an efficient triage system, logistics and a recording system with specially trained staff, the SAMU attends to pre-hospital emergencies. Some 366,587 calls were received on 114 during the FY 2021-2022.

With the specialisation in Emergency Medicine by the Emergency physicians in 2019, a Resuscitation Unit has been added to the Accident and Emergency unit in each of the 5 Regional Hospitals to cater for all vital emergencies including patients with myocardial infarction.

In addition, SAMU staff participates in simulation exercises with other stakeholders and plays a leading role in situations where there are mass casualties during natural or man-made disasters.

It is envisaged to have a better and more appropriate collaboration with the Fire and Rescue services so that the two Departments can work in unison to attend to pre-hospital emergencies more effectively.

Dialysis treatment is provided free of charge to all patients attending Public Health Institutions. Some of the extra number of patients who cannot be accommodated in the Government Hospitals are referred to the Private clinics with whom this Ministry has entered into agreement to provide the service against payment. The Private Clinics are provided with the dialysis consumables kit for each dialysis session. Presently, such treatment is available in seven Government Hospitals and in six Private Clinics.

The number of haemodialysis in public hospitals has steadily increased from 157,948 in 2018 to 182,287 in 2021 while for the same period, in private hospitals, the number of haemodialysis performed decreased from 51,827 to 42,394. At the end of 2021, there were 1,208 patients on dialysis in the 5 regional hospitals, Long Mountain Hospital and Souillac Hospital; another 250 government hospital patients were on dialysis in private centres, making a total of 1,458 patients as compared to 1,403 and 1,532 as at the end of 2019 and 2020 respectively.

In Mauritius, mental health care is accessible to each and every one through decentralization. Psychiatric services are dispensed at Brown Sequard Mental Health Care Centre (BSMHCC) as well as in the five regional hospitals and some Area Health Centres/Community Health Centres. The services at BSMHCC consist of a 250 bedded facility for the treatment of acute cases and it can cater for around 500 patients in long stay wards.

Mauritius is one of the rare countries outside India where the practice of Ayurvedic medicines is legalised and governed by a law – the ‘Ayurveda and other Traditional Medicine Act-1989’. Under this Act the practice of Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Chinese system of Medicine are recognized and regulated in Mauritius. At present, six Ayurvedic Clinics are providing the following Ayurvedic services to the population:

• Free Consultation and Diagnosis;
• Ayurvedic Panchkarma Therapy on prescription;
• Advising therapeutic yoga in all required and appropriate cases;
• Advising and counselling of patient as per Ayurvedic principles;
• Free distribution of Ayurvedic Medicine; and
• Regular follow-up of all cases depending on its acute or chronic condition

Ayurvedic health services are provided at the outpatient level which is open 6/7 days. Mauritians attend these Ayurvedic clinics for various ailments ranging from hairfall, chronic joint disorders, skin problems like psoriasis, digestive problems, obesity, NCDS and even with complications like cardiovascular diseases, renal diseases, cancer etc.

The Diabetes and Vascular Health Centre (DVHC), situated at New Souillac Hospital, was set up in 2010 in response to the high prevalence of Diabetes in Mauritius as evoked in the National Service Framework for Diabetes (NSFD). The Centre provides holistic care to patients with diabetes and early detection and management of complications of diabetes. DVHC provides a multidisciplinary approach to the management of diabetes under one roof. This one-stop shop approach allows for better patients’ compliance. The following services are provided:

• Specialised care to patients with diabetes by Diabetologists;
• Podiatry Care;
• Foot Ulcer Management;
• Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Service (Provided in all 5 Regions);
• Counselling by Nutritionist;
• Empowerment programmes for patients with diabetes – Nurse-Led Clinic;
• Smoking Cessation Clinic; and
• In-patient management of diabetes and related complications.

The Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Service (DRSS) is important as it helps Diabetic patients to detect and manage early Diabetes complications. Each Retinal unit is well equipped with one retinal camera, one grading station and also trained staffs.  A well-defined protocol is established for channelling patients in all these units. All Diabetic Patients are referred at least once a year to the Retinal Units. Pamphlets also used to educate patients on Diabetic Retinopathy.

The Overseas Treatment Unit of the Ministry provides financial assistance and all necessary support to patients who have been recommended for treatment abroad by a Medical Board set up in the Regional Hospitals. These patients also have to meet the income eligibility criteria for households as set by the Ministry. Arrangements are made for the patients to be admitted in health institutions in India with which the MOHW has signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

The Overseas Treatment Scheme also provides the possibility for patients to opt for any medical institutions of their choice in other countries. Patients proceeding to hospital of their choices benefit financial assistance based on the lowest quotation received from the above-mentioned health institutions. They are however granted the equivalent of funds for a ticket equivalent to India airfare. In some severe cases, upon recommendation of the treating doctor, a stretcher is also provided.