MCB launched ATM prepaid service

A new service allowing prepaid mobile phone users to refill their credit using the ATM service is now available in Seychelles.

The service is an initiative of the Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB).

The scheme applies to both Airtel and Cable & Wireless customers who hold an account with the bank. But they can also top up the credit of anyone else they have told the bank about.

To top up or refill their credit, clients have to follow the refill option on MCB-owned ATMs, or SMS or call 1838 on a 24-hour basis.

An MCB spokesperson said the bank’s aim is to increase its product portfolio and diversify its services while at the same time remaining proactive in contributing to the fulfillment of its customers’ demands.

Seychelles joins the pan-African e-network project

Seychelles is the second African country, after Senegal to join the $1 billion pan-African e-network project initiated by the Indian government.

The project aims to develop the continent information and communication technologies. Seychelles is expected to benefit through the tele-medicine programs, e-learning and teleconferencing facility for the head of state.

The first facility to be launched this week at the Ministry of Health headquarters was the tele-medicine network. The system will be used to share knowledge from Indian doctors with their Seychellois counterparts through online training programs and getting second opinion on medial diagnosis.

Victoria hospital will eventually be connected to twelve Indian tele-medicine specialist centres and four from the African continent, including 53 hospitals.


“Tele-medicine presents countless possibilities for the doctors and patients. It will improve the quality of health care, reduce cost and offer educational opportunities,” said Marie-Pierre Lloyd, the Minister responsible for health.

The education network will allow similar information sharing.

The E-network project was first announced by Indian president Abdul Kalam in South Africa in 2004. In October 2005, the Indian government and the Africa Union signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize the project.

Seychelles hosts e-health conference

Health ministers and their counterparts in charged of information and communication technology (ICT) from thirteen East, Central and Southern African countries are meeting in Seychelles to discuss the promotion of e-health on the continent.

The meeting is aimed at promoting the use of information technology in the continent’s health care system to help achieve the millennium goals and to attain the most with the limited financial resources.



“Our nations must forge ahead to develop our systems and processes if we are to ensure a better, improved and sustainable quality of life for our people, with health developments taking centre stage,” Vice-President Joseph Belmont said in the conference’s opening address.

The three day conference is an opportunity for the continent’s health and ICT expert to rethink how best to effect change and improve health service provision for the benefit of both consumers and providers using ICT.

“E-health holds the promise of a more evidence-based, result-oriented and effective health care system,” said Belmont.

The conference organizers said the event will allow governments to improve services for patients and communities, increase access to services and improve the training of health workers, with enormous impact on these processes.

Editors' note: e-health is a relatively recent term for health care practice which is supported by electronic processes and communication. The term is inconsistently used: some would argue it is interchangeable with health care informatics and a sub set of health informatics, while others use it in the narrower sense of health care practice using the Internet. The term can encompass a range of services that are at the edge of medicine/health care and information technology.

The 12th Highway Africa Conference in pictures

With SA's top vlogger on YouTube Khaya Dlanga.



With Highway Africa's Future Journalists Project (FJP) Co-ordinator, Moagisi Lethlaku.

Nature Seychelles wins Highway Africa award

Nature Seychelles, the leading environmental organisation in the country is a winner at this year’s Highway Africa Digital Journalism Award in South Africa.

Speaking in Grahamstown, where he collected the award, Nature Seychelles’ CEO Dr Nirmal Shah said their achievement is proof that local non-governmental organisations (NGO) should go beyond the limitation of small island states.

“The World Wide Web, gives us the prospect to reach the world and for the world to reach us. Get up and use it,” says Shah.

Nature Seychelles was nominated for spearheading environmental conservation through the internet within the Seychelles and across the Western Indian Ocean shelf, using its website http://www.natureseychelles.org.

The organisation came top in the non-profit category, ahead of African Woman and Child Feature Service, a Nairobi-based media organisation.

The award also recognises the NGO’s effort in encouraging other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to embrace new media technologies for environmental conservation. In addition, Nature Seychelles won for its success in using the youth’s skills and creativity to spread the message of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the environment on the fragile islands ecosystems within Seychelles.

“The recognition is proof that we are doing a fantastic work in Seychelles. It’s good news for all local conservationists that not everything is doom and gloom, but that we are actually saving birds and involving the children in our effort.”

The Award ceremony is part of the annual Highway Africa conference, the largest annual gathering of African journalists in the world. This rendezvous focuses on debates about journalism and new media.

CAN: Live transmission too dear for SBC

The Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) has confirmed it is not broadcasting any of the African Cup of Nations (CAN) matches which kick off in the Ghanaian capital Accra on Sunday 20th January.

SBC says the asking fee to broadcast the matches by LC2 International of France is beyond the corporation’s means.

The present economic situation characterised by the devaluation on the rupee and the foreign exchange shortages have made matter worse for the SBC.

The broadcast rights for the whole tournament cost 305,000 Euros, which is 55 thousand more than for the previous tournament in 2006.

Soccer enthusiasts are disappointed to miss Africa’s premiere soccer event twice in a row since in 2006 too the event was not transmitted live, again because of the hefty fee.

However, questions are being raised about SBC’s ability to plan ahead as this is a biennale event with potentials to attract sponsorships. Although a telenovella series doesn’t cost as much as the live transmission of a major international sporting event, local television viewers question the logic behind SBC’s readiness to ensure its yearly supply as oppose to other television programmes.

One available option for local football fans to watch the African stars in action is through the local cable TV company which is transmitting the matches on the Super Sports channel.

It is not clear if TV5 Monde will air the knockout phase of the tournament – four quarterfinals, two semifinals, the third place play-off and the final – like in 2006.

The competition takes place in Ghana from Sunday 20th January to Sunday 10th February and sees the best 16 teams from across the continent battle it out. Matches will be played in four cities – Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi.