Prime Minister defends private doctors in public hospitals as a long-standing practice

The new Leader of the Opposition, Chetan Baboolall, raised concerns about the presence of a private doctor during Health Minister Anil Bachoo's recent surgery at Jeetoo Hospital. Ramgoolam stated that Mauritian law does not prohibit private practitioners from assisting in public hospital surgeries, nor does it grant automatic access. He clarified that such requests are reviewed case-by-case, requiring approval from the responsible hospital surgeon and patient consent.

The Prime Minister explained that Dr. Pravish Sookha's involvement in Minister Bachoo's surgery was due to his specialized expertise in non-invasive laparoscopic surgery. Ramgoolam emphasized that this practice is not new, citing numerous instances over the years where local and international private specialists have provided expertise, assisted public teams, and performed specialized procedures in public hospitals. He provided statistics, noting that in the last 18 months, approximately 60 specialized medical teams, including nearly 100 foreign private medical practitioners, conducted over 2,500 consultations and more than 1,300 complex surgeries in public hospitals.

He also mentioned ongoing missions, such as an Indian team performing cataract surgeries. Ramgoolam rejected calls for a commission of inquiry or the minister's resignation, stat