The second consignment of essential medicine supplies from India arrived today (7 June 2020) in Port Victoria aboard INS Kesari. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs & Blue Economy, Amb. Barry Faure & Secretary of State for Health, Amb. Marie Pierre Lloyd jointly received the consignment on behalf of Government of Seychelles from the High Commissioner of India, H.E. General Dalbir Singh Suhag. The shipment, includes, essential and critical medicines which caters to most of the common ailments in Seychelles including Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Diabetes, Cancer and other Cardiovascular diseases. The supply of these medicines has been arranged by Government of India at the request of the Government of Seychelles.
It may be recalled that the first consignment of urgent medicine supplies of 4 Tonnes from India was airlifted and delivered in Seychelles on a war footing through a chartered Air India aircraft on 15 April 2020, at the peak of first wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Seychelles and was received by Amb. Faure on behalf of the Government of Seychelles.
The shipment of essential medicines aboard Indian Navy Ship Kesari is part of the ‘Mission SAGAR’ that reflects India’s commitment to work together with its maritime neighbors and partners in the Indian Ocean Region. As a mark of gratitude and friendship, Indian Navy on its part, handed over 2 medical evacuation pods for transferring COVID-19 patients by air. The ‘Mission SAGAR’ has also included supplies for Maldives, Madagascar, Mauritius and Comoros to jointly meet our common challenges in these difficult times. SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) reflects India’s vision for the Indian Ocean Region, which was articulated by Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Seychelles in March 2015.
Health, being foundation to the economic and social development of a country, has always been one of the main focus of the Government of India in its Development Partnership Assistance to Seychelles. India had previously gifted lifesaving State-of-the-Art Medical Equipment worth USD 8.75 Million (SCR 158 Million) in October 2018 which is now distributed across all the Hospitals and Health Clinics in Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, apart from assistance for Health Information System (HIS) project, Super-Specialty Hospital Construction project and donation of 10 State-of-the-Art Ambulances in 2018.