The Republic of Mauritius is a group of islands in the south-west of the Indian Ocean, consisting of the main island of Mauritius, Rodrigues and several outer islands, situated 900 km to the east of Madagascar. It has a total land area of 2040 km2 and a population of around 1.2 million. Mauritius has a multiracial population whose origins can be traced mainly to Asia, Africa and Europe. English is the official language but French remains the most widely spoken, along with the local dialect, Creole, which is derived from French. Mauritius is classified as an upper middle income country in sub-Saharan Africa by the World Bank. It has a per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of US$13 200.

Health resources and statistics

Mauritius spends 2.8% of its GDP on health, 1.9% in the public sector and 0.9% in the private sector.

In 2005, the crude birth rate was 15.2 births per 1000 per year, the death rate was 6.8 per 1000 per year and the infant mortality rate was 14.14 deaths per 1000 live births (Central Statistics Office, Mauritius).

Mauritius provides state health services throughout the country free at the point of use to all its 1.2 million people. It also has a well established private sector. The state health services employ over 650 doctors and the private sector employs over 400 doctors.

Mental health services

Initially, mental health services were centred at the main psychiatric hospital, named after the renowned Mauritius-born neurologist CharlesÉdouard Brown-Séquard. It was renamed the Brown Sequard Mental Health Care Centre (BSMHCC) in 1998. Psychiatric services were decentralised in 1997. Essentially, decentralisation meant opening psychiatric units in each regional hospital, combined with the provision of out-patient services and liaison psychiatry. One or two psychiatrists were attached to each unit, along with medical officers and health officers who had work experience in this field.

There are now 15 psychiatrists nationally, 12 in the public sector. Inpatient care was started initially in three hospitals to treat patients with alcohol-related problems, but it had to be discontinued in two centres owing to management problems. Out-patient clinics are also held at a few area health centres. Community care is mostly provided by social workers attached to these hospitals and community rehabilitation workers.