In France, pediatric departments in hospitals are saturated, particularly in Île-de-France. Faced with the emergency, 4,000 pediatricians sign a letter to President Emmanuel Macron calling on him to act.
With the arrival of autumn and the first frosts in France, cases of bronchiolitis are increasing. A usual and predictable epidemic. However, this year, even more than usual, the influx of sick children saturates pediatric hospitals which were already operating under capacity. Twenty percent of hospital beds are indeed closed, operating theaters are shut down and Samu teams are immobilized.
As a result, young children in serious condition had to be transferred far from their homes. Some were even sent home without treatment. And operations have been deprogrammed. ” We are forced to triage our patients “, summarize the pediatricians in a letter sent to Emmanuel Macron, and that” endangers children ” they explain while denouncing a “ irresponsible political inaction “.
According to the letter’s signatories, if hospitals are idling and overwhelmed, it is because of the lack of medical and paramedical staff. Exhaustion, lack of recognition and funding, unsuitable policy… More and more of them are leaving their posts without being replaced.
In response to the paediatricians’ missive, the government admitted to being ” aware of the problem by the voice of the Deputy Minister of Health, Agnès Firmin Le Bodo. It’s not a new problem. Two years ago, the Health Segur had devoted more than 8 billion euros to the revaluation of caregivers
(With AFP)
► Read also: Hospital crisis in France: “working conditions are catastrophic”