External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday termed the inauguration of the first dedicated renal transplant unit in Mauritius a "landmark achievement" while assuring that the ongoing healthcare sector cooperation between the two nations is set to expand further.
In his address at the inauguration of Renal Transplant Unit at Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital in Mauritius on Friday, EAM Jaishankar mentioned about the shared history of India and Mauritius, which he said continues to shape the relationship between both nations. He also conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's warm greetings to the people of Mauritius.
"Every visit here truly feels like coming to another home. There is something about this place that I must tell you, you never feel a stranger. The warmth is real. You feel it in the smiles in the people in the culture most of all in the entire ethos of Mauritius.
Now many of you I know have ancestral links with India but what is for us truly inspiring is how these roots have grown into something uniquely Mauritian because you have not just preserved what was brought here, you have made it your own and that I think is the real story of Mauritius.
That shared history continues to shape our relationship and every visit here, every interaction we have adds one more layer, one more facet to that," said Jaishankar."That is why our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji says that Mauritius is not a partner.
Mauritius is part of our family. And before I left for this visit, he asked me to personally convey his warm greetings to each and every one of you with the message that this is not a diplomatic relationship, Ye Dil ka Rishta (Connection of heart), one that is not just reflected in words but also in meaningful action.
Today is one such moment for action and for demonstrating purpose. The inauguration of Mauritius first dedicated renal transplant unit is indeed a landmark achievement. It's not just a medical milestone. It is a moment of hope for patients suffering from kidney, this facility will really be life-changing.
It means that treatment can now happen closer home, closer to near and dear. It means less anxiety. It means less financial burden. And it means greater comfort for families. And most importantly, it means a second chance for life for many," he added.
He said that each individual should have access to quality healthcare and termed inauguration of renal transplant unit an "important step" in that direction. EAM Jaishankar called the Jawahar Lal Nehru Hospital in Mauritius a "living symbol" of long-standing cooperation between two nations.
"Healthcare is at the core about dignity. It is about ensuring that every individual regardless of circumstances has access to quality healthcare. Today's inauguration is one important step in that direction... If something matters to Mauritius, it matters equally to India.
That is the spirit of our friendship, especially in healthcare where the impact is so personal, so immediate and so deeply felt. And this partnership in healthcare is not new. This very institution, the Jawahar Lal Nehru Hospital has for decades stood at the heart of public healthcare in Mauritius, serving generations of families with dedication and care. It is a living symbol of our long-standing cooperation.
He recalled how India supported Mauritius during Covid-19 pandemic by sending vaccines while managing the needs of its 1.4 million people."Many of you would also remember the ENT hospital during especially during the Covid. I remember that period well. I had an opportunity to come here.
It was one of the most difficult moments that the world has faced in generations. Vaccines were scarce, supply chains were broken, every country was fighting its own battle. And yet, even as India was managing the needs of 1.4 billion people, we chose to share what we had with our family," EAM Jaishankar said.
"Mauritius was among the first countries to receive vaccines from India because that is what families actually do. In that spirit, we inaugurated the Medi Clinic at Grand Bois, the Jan Aushadhi Kendra, the area health center at New Grove, making quality health care more affordable and more accessible.
And, during Prime Minister Modi's visit, the area healthcare center at Cap Malheureux added another link in that chain, reaching communities where the need is the greatest. Looking ahead, our cooperation in healthcare is set to expand further," he added.
EAM Jaishankar noted that healthcare holds a very special place in the special economic package announced during Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam's recent visit to India and mentioned that the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam National Hospital and Ayush Center of Excellence and a veterinary school and animal hospital "are all part of what lies ahead."