(Seychelles News Agency) - Vijay Construction will bear the cost for the rebuilding of the National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS) following an agreement concluded by the company's director and the Seychelles health minister on Tuesday.

Vijay Patel and Peggy Vidot signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of the building, which will start in two weeks, for an undisclosed amount.

The school's new premises will be on the site of the former School of Nursing at Mont Fleuri on Mahe, next to the Seychelles Hospital -- a building originally opened in 1953 as a Nurses Home. The school moved to North East Point in 2011.

Vijay Construction's charitable donation will pay for the cost of the rebuilding of the NIHSS building while the government will cater for the equipment and amenities that will be used at the school's new premises.

The current building's structure will be renovated and modernised. (Sedrick Nicette, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: Photo License: CC-BY

In his statement at the signing ceremony, Patel said, "I feel that we need good educational institutions and nursing is one of them, especially during these pandemic days, we have all felt the importance of nursing and so we need to have better facilities to train existing and new nurses."

The current building's structure will be renovated and modernised, while another floor will be added to cater for all courses currently being offered by the NIHSS.

"We at the Ministry of Health put a lot of emphasis on training our professionals and we are very happy to be able to re-build this historic building... With work due to begin in two weeks, the contractor has assured us that they will do their utmost to deliver the new school in less than 18 months from now," said Vidot.

With many past and present health professionals having lived, studied, and even worked in the building at Mont Fleuri, which for many years had been abandoned, there was a notable feeling of nostalgia among those present, where even the minister recalled her years spent in the building.

NIHSS, which is under the direction of the Ministry of Health, offers courses from certificate to advanced diploma levels in fields such as social work, physiotherapy, nutrition, midwifery and occupational therapy.