(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychellois who travel abroad for medical cosmetic treatment may soon be able to access such service locally as the Seychelles’ branch of Sri- Lankan medical services provider Nawaloka Hospitals open its doors to patients soon.

The medical centre was officially inaugurated last Saturday by the Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa while on a 3 day official visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his way to inaugurate the Medical Centre Saturday 28 June (Joe Laurence, Seychelles News Agency) Photo license: CC-BY

While the Seychelles branch of the Nawaloka Hospitals International will initially consist of a Medical centre on the fourth floor of the Le Chantier Mall building in Victoria, it will be offering multispecialty clinics among which will be the cosmetic clinic.

Such a service will be a first in Seychelles, because even if there are beauty parlours, locally specialized cosmetic treatment has hitherto been unavailable.

Nawaloka Hospital, set up almost 30 years ago, in September 1985, prides itself on being a pioneer in medical technology in Sri-Lanka and with the introduction of such a clinic here, it will be pioneering Seychelles health services into a new era.

Staff of the medical centre of the Nawaloka Hospitals International (Joe Laurence, Seychelles News Agency) Photo license: CC-BY

The Director of the facility, Professor Lal Chandrasena told SNA in an interview there is increasing awareness and consciousness about this aspect of medicine.

“This is a specialty which is growing in popularity. People are more conscious about it. It is not only the women, but even the men are now also more aware about the benefits of medical cosmetics.”

He explained that it is not just about beauty, but more about the health and wellbeing of a person.

“For example one of our specialties is the treatment of the varicose veins. Varicose veins are not only ugly but can also possibly affect your health, if you have a condition such as diabetes.

We will be offering some basic surgeries to deal with this. They are very neat surgeries through which we will get rid of the varicose veins and clean them out within one day.”

Professor Lal added that the cosmetics clinic will also offer laser therapy for the elimination of various skin disorders such as moles.

Currently the removal of moles and varicose veins as well as other medical cosmetic conditions is provided for by the Ministry of Health, in cases where they are seen to present a threat to a person’s wellbeing, but this service is not available on demand.  

The medical centre will be offering minor surgeries that will not require patients to be admitted (Joe Laurence, Seychelles News Agency) Photo license: CC-BY

With the opening of the Nawaloka medical centre, the public can now cut back on the cost of air travel to deal with such conditions if they so wish.

Other specialties the centre will offer include general medical practice, cardiovascular clinic, women and child’s health, diabetes and dermatology clinic among others. It will have its own support services such as clinical laboratory where over 200 types of tests can be conducted, ultra and echo sound facilities, pharmaceutical services and clients may book up for check-ups on demand.

Over 200 tests can be conducted at the Medical Centre with results provided on the same day (Joe Laurence, Seychelles News Agency) Photo license: CC-BY

Professor Lal explained that specialists will frequently come to the centre from abroad, while a qualified general practitioner will be working full time at the centre, with plans for him to be later joined by another. 

The Medical Centre will offer pharmaceutical services (Joe Laurence, Seychelles News Agency) Photo license: CC-BY