Pediatric services in Ile-de-France fear a "health crisis" for lack of internal

Paris (AFP)

More than twenty heads of pediatric departments in Ile-de-France are alarmed Wednesday the lack of interns of general medicine that they may face this winter, fearing that this leads to "a health crisis" .

"Following the opening of positions decided without consultation with the representatives of pediatric departments of Ile-de-France, the distribution of interns of general medicine in the various pediatric departments of the region was made without taking into account the needs of hospitals, especially those farthest from the center of Paris ", they explain in a statement.

"Many internships have been opened in Paris and in the inner suburbs, where interns have spread," leaving hospitals in the crown, told AFP Dr. Sebastien Rouget, head of the pediatric department of the hospital center south of Ile de Corbeil-Essonnes, for whom "the situation is critical".

According to the press release, the situation leaves "168 positions of internal medicine general unfilled in pediatric services while the winter semester is the busiest due to winter epidemics (bronchiolitis, influenza, gastroenteritis)".

However, these services are "already penalized by the lack of pediatricians due to unfavorable demographics and lack of attractiveness of hospital careers". As a result, "several services will not be able to ensure the reception of pediatric emergencies 24/24 from 4 November," write the heads of services concerned.

They call on the responsibility of the government, and in particular the Minister of Health, Agnès Buzyn, to "find a quick solution to this unprecedented crisis".

In a separate statement, the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Ile-de-France acknowledges that "the results of the procedure of choice of interns of general medicine for the winter semester 2019 led to a slight reduction of number of interns who chose to do their internship in a pediatric ward, but especially to a distribution of these 159 interns that is not in line with the operating needs of these services.

This will "lead to strong tensions in some services already widely used," says the ARS which ensures to follow "with a lot of vigilance this file" and promises to do everything "to ensure the best coverage of pediatric care" in Ile-de-France next winter.

"Everyone will have to take responsibility," says the LRA, "very well equipped facilities" may include "encourage interns to guard in other institutions."

© 2019 AFP