đź“· Photo: Louis Toussaint, Seychelles News Agency, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
VICTORIA, Seychelles — Seychelles holds a minimum six-month stock of essential cancer medicines at the Seychelles Hospital pharmacy and continues to fund specialised treatments, including immunotherapy, on the basis of individual clinical need, Health Minister Dr Marvin Fanny told the National Assembly yesterday.
Replying to a private notice question from opposition leader Hon. Bernard Georges, who had raised concerns from cancer patients about reported shortages, including of the breast cancer drug Exemestane, Dr Fanny said the Ministry of Health manages a list of roughly 20 essential cancer medicines, with around 80 additional oncology medicines outside that list available for individual cases. “Once a patient is confirmed to have cancer, their case is presented before a tumour board of specialists. Each case is assessed individually and, based on clinical guidelines, an appropriate treatment plan is agreed with the patient,” he explained.
Spending on cancer medicines has risen sharply. According to the Minister, the cancer medicines budget grew from R3.6 million in 2021 to R10.8 million in 2025, an increase of nearly 300 percent. About 95 percent of the 2025 cancer medicines budget went on immunotherapy, a treatment that more than 60 percent of cancer patients in Seychelles now receive. Newer therapies can cost as much as R1.2 million per patient per year, with courses lasting up to two years.
On Exemestane specifically, Dr Fanny described it as a third-line hormonal therapy for breast cancer patients whose disease does not respond to first- or second-line treatment. Two patients in Seychelles currently receive Exemestane, and the Ministry said sufficient stock is on hand.
The Ministry’s Medicines and Therapeutics Committee meets weekly to ensure cancer prescriptions align with treatment guidelines and to decide which medicines are appropriate for use in Seychelles, the Minister told the Assembly. Where a medicine is not on the essential list, a request is submitted to the committee; once approved, the procurement unit orders it under the Procurement Act 2018 and the Public Finance Management Manual. Because many cancer medicines are highly specific, they are usually ordered per patient rather than held as bulk stock. A “stock exchange” system also allows one patient’s medicine to be temporarily redirected to another if both need the same treatment.
Continuity of care has not been affected by the dissolution of the former Health Care Agency, Dr Fanny added. Patients requiring tests or advanced treatment unavailable locally are referred to the Overseas and Diagnostic Board, which operates independently under legislation. The Minister said the Ministry cannot influence the Board’s decisions, but where treatment is approved, government covers the full cost. Patients who travel abroad independently may seek reimbursement through the Board, subject to its rules.
A Seychellois oncologist is now working within the Ministry of Health, strengthening local capacity. Closing the debate, Hon. Georges urged the public to undergo regular cancer screening, noting that early detection remains the most effective way to reduce the need for costly late-stage treatment.
Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2024, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO estimates that many cancers can be cured if detected early and treated effectively, and that about 38 percent of cases can currently be prevented by addressing risk factors such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet and air pollution.
Sources cited: World Health Organization – Cancer fact sheet. World Bank Group – Smart resilient investments key to jobs and growth in Seychelles.
Source: SN
