New facility to treat spinal trauma now operational

A new medical facility to treat patients with complex spinal pathologies, has been set up and is now operational at the Victoria Hospital, in Candos.

Fitted with modern infrastructure and clinical expertise, the Spine Unit will treat spinal trauma, spinal tumours, deformities, infections and degenerative spinal conditions.

In a statement, the Minister of Health, Kailesh Jagutpal, said patients suffering from spinal pathologies were previously sent to India for surgeries, which cost, in average, Rs 1 million per patient.

This will not be the case anymore – such surgeries will not be available on the island.

Some 206 patients have received medical treatments for spinal pathologies so far.

Minister Jagutpal highlighted the collaboration of Professor Martin Gehrchen – officer-in-charge at the Spine unit at the National University Hospital Copenhagen in Denmark, in the setting up of the new Spine Unit.

Professor Gehrchen has reportedly carried out several surgeries locally and also trained local health professionals. Three medical officers have obtained training, free of charge.

Original article at GIS Mauritius