The executive will launch a “immediate action plan”, with in particular the local activation of “white planes”, in an attempt to provide a response to the saturation of pediatric emergency services, announced government spokesperson Olivier Véran on Sunday October 23.
“The President of the Republic was arrested by a collective (…) He took note of this arrest and he immediately asked the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health, so that an immediate action plan could be put in place”detailed Olivier Véran on the set of “Big meeting” Europe 1-CNews-The echoes.
“In fact, the hospital is facing an epidemic of bronchiolitis. (…) It comes early in the year, and so we trigger where necessary the famous ‘white plans’ to recall additional staff and to have better cooperation in the territories”, he specified. The Minister of Health, François Braun, must detail the measures of the plan at midday.
On Friday, more than 4,000 caregivers signed an open letter to the President of the Republic, to denounce the saturation of pediatric hospital services in this context of an epidemic of bronchiolitis. In this letter, the caregivers mainly point to structural difficulties, the result of a “irresponsible political inaction”. “Hospitalization services are overflowing”they warn. “It is urgent to be able to reopen beds in pediatric wards by stopping the flight of caregivers and by recruiting passionate young people.”
The signatories denounce in this letter their working conditions and inadequate care. They evoke a series of dysfunctions, ranging from hospitalizations of children in places that are not suitable for remote transfers, postponements of scheduled surgical interventions, or even premature discharge from hospital. So many degradations that led to “care delays” and to “the endangerment of children”.
Agnès Firmin le Bodo, Minister Delegate in charge of Territorial Organization and Health Professions, was questioned on this subject on Saturday on franceinfo. “There is a problem and we know it”she said. “We are counting on solidarity between hospitals, on solidarity with city medicine and are working on the longer opening in the evening of medical centers on duty”she added, assuring the carers of the “support” of the government.