What reinforcements to relieve hospitals and carers?

• The number of patients affected by Covid-19 and hospitalized reached 7,240 on Monday morning, of which 1,746 are in intensive care. Since the start of the epidemic, 674 people have died in France.
• Some hospitals have already reached saturation point, such as Mulhouse or Ajaccio, and have had to evacuate patients suffering from the coronavirus to other hospital structures in the territory.
• Mobilization of the health reserve, calls to veterinarians, military evacuation, field hospitals or private establishments ... "20 Minutes" takes stock of the available means of reinforcement.

Construction of a military field hospital, requisition of private clinics, mobilization of the health reserve, inventory of available veterinarians… Faced with the daily increase in the number of known cases of coronavirus, the Ministry of Health is trying to mobilize all means reinforcements available to free up beds and strengthen healthcare teams.

With more than 1,700 patients hospitalized in intensive care, this Monday, the reception capacities of public hospitals are starting to be severely tested. In some regions, such as in the Grand Est or in Corsica, establishments are already saturated. What are the means available to the French health system to help public hospitals and caregivers in the fight against the coronavirus? 20 Minutes takes stock of the forces that can be mobilized.

• The army

To reduce the pressure in some hospitals, around 30 patients were transferred to other regions, less affected by the epidemic. Last Wednesday, the Air Force had mobilized an A330 Phoenix equipped by the Armed Forces Health Service (SSA) to evacuate six patients from Mulhouse to Marseille and Toulon. On Saturday, six other patients were transported by the same machine from Mulhouse to Bordeaux.

The armies continue their mobilization for the French. The air force and the army health service will again evacuate patients with Covid-19 from Mulhouse hospital to the Aquitaine region. The A330 Phoenix has just taken off for Mulhouse. pic.twitter.com/lvnU0Cf9xD

On Sunday, twelve patients hospitalized in Ajaccio (Corsica) were evacuated to Marseille aboard the amphibious helicopter carrier (PHA) Tonnerre. And for good reason, out of the 15 resuscitation beds available in Ajaccio, 13 were occupied before evacuation, ie a "quasi-saturation", said Marie-Hélène Lecenne, director of the ARS of Corsica.

But that's not all. The army is currently deploying a field hospital in the parking lot of the Emile-Muller hospital group in Mulhouse, saturated by patients with coronavirus. "The structure will accommodate 30 patients, cared for by a hundred caregivers from the Armed Forces Health Service (SSA)", explains a spokesperson for the SSA at 20 minutes , specifying that the doctors, nurses and resuscitators mobilized usually work in one of the twelve army training hospitals (HIA), such as the Bégin hospital in Saint-Mandé (Val-de-Marne) or Percy in Clamart (Hauts-de-Seine).

At the same time, other measures have been taken to relieve hospitals. The Directorate of Supply of Health Products of the Armed Forces (DAPSA) has also been mobilized to contribute to the supply of hospitals with health equipment, adds the spokesperson. Students of the Lyon-Bron Military Health Schools (EMSLB) were dispersed in hospitals and call centers. Finally, the Biomedical Research Institute of the Armed Forces (IRBA) and the Armed Forces Epidemiology and Public Health Center (CESPA), two services of the SSA, came to lend a hand to diagnose and identify the sick. "The central management of the Armed Forces Health Service is in direct coordination with the Ministry of Health, we really work hand in hand," said the spokesperson.

• Hospitals and private clinics

While a large majority of French public hospitals are fully dedicated to fighting the coronavirus epidemic, hospitals and private clinics have also put themselves in battle order. According to the Federation of French Private Clinics and Hospitals (FCHP), 500 clinics and 300 “immediate” care establishments have already been mobilized for the Covid-19. Nearly 100,000 non-emergency surgeries were unscheduled last week, freeing 4,000 resuscitation beds for patients. “We started the white plan with the installation of tents outside our establishments and an isolated circuit for the transfer of contaminated people. It is in these tents that those who have a fever are welcomed, before being transported to dedicated premises ”, details the president of the FCPH, Lamine Gharbi, for 20 Minutes .

But in some regions, “private establishments remain underused. Beds that have been released in clinics remain empty. Given the gravity of the situation, this is obviously inconceivable, "deplores Lamine Gharbi, who pleads for" unfailing cooperation between all the health forces ". "We are ready but we are under-solicited while we are mobilized and available to support the public hospital," he adds.

• The health reserve

To relieve the healthcare teams, members of the health reserve could also be more mobilized. According to Public Health France, which oversees the system, the health reserve is made up of "voluntary health professionals who can be mobilized at any time" to provide reinforcement, in the event of a disaster or health emergency, in hospitals, health centers. calls or to medically assist returnees. These are doctors, nurses, pharmacists, midwives, psychologists, but also non-nursing hospital workers (managers, engineers), in activity - who work in the public, in the private or in liberal - and also retirees and interns and pharmacy students.

Since the end of January, around 300 members of the health reserve have already been deployed in the context of the fight against the coronavirus, explained Public Health France to Les Echos , on March 13. The organization has also received an unprecedented number of registrations in recent days: "There are currently about 36,000 registrants," said Geneviève Chêne, director of the public establishment, at Franceinfo, on March 19.

• Veterinarians

Will veterinarians also come and help doctors? Last week, the Ministry of Health asked the National Order of Veterinarians to identify the specialists available to strengthen the healthcare teams: "Nearly 4,000 veterinarians (out of the 18,000 who practice) volunteered to join the health reserve "Explains Anne Laboulais, director of communications for the National Order of Veterinarians at 20 Minutes , adding that these were specialists in activity, but also retirees or students.

"They will not do acts of human medicine because they are not authorized to do so. But they are scientists, they could be mobilized to help on remote control centers, sorting or reception in hospitals, "specifies Anne Laboulais, who recalls that clinics and veterinary hospitals are among the establishments that remain open despite containment. The National Order of Veterinarians has also listed 900 devices (resuscitation respirators, anesthesia respirators, oxygen concentrators and monitors) that can be used in hospitals. "The Ministry of Health will sort out what is compatible and what is in working order," she adds.

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• Covid 19
• Coronavirus
• Health
• Army
• epidemic
• Military
• Veterinary