Mauritius Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in mauritius, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Medical Equipment
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Overview 

Public hospitals are free in Mauritius, but there are also several private clinics. Mauritius’s healthcare infrastructure includes five major regional public hospitals, two public district hospitals, and six specialized hospitals, including one psychiatric hospital; one for chest diseases; one for eye diseases; one for ear, nose, and throat diseases; two cardiac centers; and a new cancer hospital. The country also has 26 private clinics and hospitals and 67 medical laboratories. At the end of 2024, there were 4,692 beds in both public and private facilities. In 2024, Mauritius imported $41 million worth of medical equipment, mainly from China (15 percent), South Africa (13 percent), United States (12 percent), India (11 percent), Germany (10 percent) and Japan (8 percent). For the same period, Mauritius exported $49 million worth of medical equipment, mainly to France (60 percent) and India (24 percent). 5 percent of 2024 exports were to the United States.   As of 2024, there were six medical device manufacturers in Mauritius, employing about 1,200 people. 

Leading Sub-sectors

  • Cancer Center Equipment
  • Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT) Hospital Equipment  
  • Eye Hospital Equipment
  • Medical Imaging (MRI, CT and X-Ray) and Diagnostic Equipment
  • Surgical Equipment
  • Orthopedics Supplies and Artificial Parts of the Body
  • Dialysis Equipment
  • Laboratory Equipment
  • Dental Surgery and Dentofacial Orthopedics
  • Healthcare IT Solutions 

Opportunities 

Mauritius has a well-developed health system. About 73 percent of the health needs of the population are catered by public health institutions and 27 percent by the private sector. Non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases, accounted for 78 percent of total mortality in Mauritius in 2023. 

A new ear, nose, and throat (ENT) hospital was inaugurated in October 2019, with funding of approximately $23 million from the Indian government. In 2023, a new cancer hospital with a bed capacity of 220 was inaugurated and in 2024 the new teaching hospital, one of the largest and most modern medical facilities in Mauritius with a bed capacity of 575 opened its doors. Upcoming projects include the construction of a warehouse for pharmaceutical products and medical equipment, a renal transplant unit, and a national laboratory services center. These projects are expected to generate greater demand for various medical equipment and software. The Ministry of Health’s 2022-2025 National Cancer Control Program provides for procurement of cancer medicines and treatment equipment, including new linear accelerators.    

In the past few years, the Mauritian government has promoted shifts in the healthcare sector to develop high-value activities such as hi-tech medicine, medical tourism, and medical education.  In 2024, Mauritius attracted more than 5,000 foreign patients for treatment in specialty areas such as cosmetic surgery and procedures, imaging, cardiology, fertility treatment, and ENT.  The main source countries are Madagascar, France, Reunion, and Comoros.  

There are potential opportunities for establishing: 

  • Specialized diabetes research and treatment centers  
  • Specialized centers for elderly care and rehabilitative medicine
  • Plastic reconstructive surgery clinics
  • Clinics specializing in sports medicine    
  • Wellness centers and health resorts for rehabilitation    
  • Telemedicine
  • Clinics for dental surgery and dentofacial orthopedics
  • Convalescence and pain clinics providing specialized care to patients suffering from acute and chronic conditions


The medical device manufacturing industry has also seen sustained growth over the last few years.  Due to the preferential market access that Mauritius enjoys with the EU, leading medical device manufacturers (mostly from France and Germany) have established operations here. The main items manufactured in Mauritius for exports include angioplasty catheters, stents, cardiovascular and oncology implants, artificial skin, ophthalmic implants, bone implants and substitutes, orthopedic implants, and dental implants. To attract more medical device manufacturing companies, the government offers various incentives, including tax holidays for eight years, a three percent corporate tax on profits derived from exports, a value-added tax on raw materials reimbursable on exports, an investment tax credit of fifteen percent over three years for investment in hi-tech machinery, and air and sea freight rebates for exports. 

The government introduced further incentives in 2021 and thereafter to encourage the construction of factories for pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing and clinical and preclinical trials. For example, developers are exempted from the registration duty, land transfer tax, land conversion tax, and VAT on construction. Companies engaged in the manufacture of medical devices and pharmaceuticals also benefit from a premium investor certificate, as well as a full tax credit on the costs of acquisition of patents for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Companies engaged in the medical, biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors are taxed at 3 percent instead of 15 percent.

The new government announced various plans for the healthcare sector in June 2025. The main initiatives for the healthcare sector as outlined in the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) 2025/26 to 2029/30 include the following:

Digitalization and IT Infrastructure: 

  • Implementation of the e-Health system, including software and hardware upgrades, with a focus on digitalizing hospital services and improving local area networks for digital health services  
  • Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for the Government Analyst Division  

Construction and Upgrading of Healthcare Facilities: 

  • Construction of new Area Health Centres (AHCs) at locations such as Cap Malheureux, New Grove, Plaine Magnien, and Curepipe  
  • Construction of new Community Health Centres (CHCs) at sites including Roche Bois, Grand Baie, and Trou D’Eau Douce  
  • Upgrading and renovation of existing health offices, CHCs, and mediclinics  

Specialised Healthcare Facilities: 

  • Construction of a new ENT Hospital at Vacoas  
  • Development of a new Cancer Centre at Solferino  
  • Construction of a Modern Eye Hospital  
  • Construction of a new Haemodialysis Building at SSRN Hospital  

Equipment and Technology: 

  • Acquisition of high-tech medical equipment, including telemedicine equipment and CCTV cameras for hospitals  
  • Upgrading of air conditioning systems and other hospital infrastructure  

Healthcare Waste Management: 

  • Construction of a Centralized Healthcare Waste Treatment Facility (under preparation)  

Future Projects Under Preparation: 

  • Construction of new hospitals, including New Victoria Hospital, New SSRN Hospital, and a New National Laboratory  
  • Establishment of a Neurosurgery Unit at SAJ Hospital and a new block at Mahebourg Hospital  

 

The above plans present opportunities for U.S. companies specializing in healthcare technology, infrastructure, and equipment. The implementation of the e-Health system and Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) creates demand for advanced software, hardware, and IT solutions. Construction and upgrading of healthcare facilities, including Area Health Centres, Community Health Centres, and specialized hospitals such as ENT, cancer, and eye hospitals, offer opportunities for architectural, engineering, and construction firms. Additionally, the emphasis on acquiring high-tech medical equipment, such as telemedicine tools and CCTV systems, opens avenues for U.S. manufacturers and suppliers of cutting-edge healthcare technologies. The planned centralized healthcare waste treatment facility and future projects, including new hospitals and specialized units, further expand opportunities for U.S. companies in waste management solutions, medical infrastructure, and advanced healthcare systems. 

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