The Minister of Health François Braun announced, Wednesday, November 2, an envelope of 400 million euros for “the services in tension of the hospital”, and in particular pediatric emergencies which are facing a worrying bronchiolitis epidemic. Doctor Mélodie Aubart underlines on franceinfo that “these remain temporary emergency measures”. The neuropediatrician at the Necker-Enfants Malades hospital in Paris claims “strong and lasting structural measures”.
franceinfo: Is this envelope of 400 million euros up to the crisis you are going through?
I’m going to have a hard time answering you since the Minister gave no details on the destination of this budget envelope, which will probably concern pediatric hospital services, but also non-pediatric ones. We assume that this will make it possible to finance the measures he announces, but these remain temporary emergency measures, such as the recognition of the arduousness of the night hours.
The generalization of the critical care bonus for caregivers in pediatric intensive care is a very good thing, but this only concerns a niche of pediatric caregivers. The vast majority of them do not work in intensive care but nevertheless face the current disaster.
What are you asking of the government?
We want strong and lasting structural measures. For example, a nurse can no longer continue to care for 16 sick children in the middle of the night. Patient-to-nurse ratios are needed.
“We can clearly see that the minister is getting to work, that he is going to set up working groups, but we are waiting for him on strong commitments. They may take several months to set up, but I think that the State can already announce them.”
Mélodie Aubart, neuropediatricianat franceinfo
Are you mainly having recruitment problems?
Beyond recruitment, it is already necessary to treat the haemorrhage of caregivers who leave the hospital. Those who go through this health crisis, because that’s what it’s called when we take care of children in intensive care corridors, will leave the hospital because it’s unbearable. They may have had revalued overtime for a few weeks but, eventually, they will leave.
What we are asking of the Minister and the President of the Republic is recognition of the critical nature of the current situation, recognition of the State’s responsibility so that caregivers are no longer the only ones to bear this responsibility for care unsuitable made today on children.