Mauritius advances specialised ophthalmic care with US medical support

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is enhancing access to corneal transplant surgeries through its longstanding collaboration with the United States of America (USA) in the field of advanced eye care. As part of this collaboration, Professor Charles Qian Yu, Ophthalmologist from the Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, California, USA, is currently in Mauritius on a three-day official visit to perform corneal transplant procedures at the New Souillac Hospital.

In this context, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Anil Kumar Bachoo, visited the New Souillac Hospital, yesterday afternoon, to meet Professor Yu as well as patients who have undergone surgery. During his visit, Professor Yu examined 20 patients, with 10 scheduled for corneal transplant surgeries, several of which have already been successfully completed.

In a statement, Minister Bachoo highlighted that Professor Yu has provided 16 corneal graft tissues to the Ministry of Health and Wellness to support patients suffering from corneal blindness in regaining their vision. Ten patients have already undergone surgery, while the remaining six corneal tissues will be allocated to the Subramania Bharathi Eye Hospital in Moka, he said.

The Minister underlined that Professor Yu has been visiting Mauritius since the past decade to strengthen specialised ophthalmic care in the country while also highlighting the close partnership of Mauritian ophthalmologists with medical institutions in Switzerland.

Mr Bachoo further stated that he had the opportunity to interact with four patients who successfully underwent corneal transplant surgeries. He reassured that local medical teams would continue to monitor patients closely through follow-up care and specialised ophthalmic support.

For his part, Professor Yu explained that his mission in Mauritius has a dual objective: providing corneal tissues from the USA to restore vision for patients, and training local doctors and nurses in the latest ophthalmic surgical techniques to further strengthen eye care services in Mauritius.

He further noted that, for the first time in Mauritius, he performed Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty, which is an advanced and latest corneal transplant procedure, allowing for more effective treatment outcomes.

He reaffirmed his commitment to continue supporting Mauritius through the introduction of advanced ophthalmic surgical procedures in the future.

28 May 2026

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Topics: Health