2024-05-17 21:32:51
Dr Michel Sala
France — 70 days earlier than the opening of the Olympic Video games, and the arrival in Paris of 10 million spectators, the Nationwide Union of Medical Biologists (SNMB) is alarmed that France has not adopted an epidemiological surveillance system whereas the nation is experiencing a rise in dengue instances . Its vice-president, Dr Michel Sala, is asking on authorities to behave and remunerate biologists who gather data.
You condemn the absence of epidemiological surveillance on the eve of the Olympic Video games whereas France is experiencing a rise in dengue instances. Why are you so frightened?
Dr Michel Sala: On the finish of the summer season of 2023, the authorities gathered us to tell us of their want to undertake Labo-é-SI, a computerized epidemiological surveillance system inherited from the SIDEP system. The intention was to not restrict it to the three widespread respiratory viruses (Covid, influenza and bronchiolitis), however to increase it to arboviruses and particularly dengue. The authorities then defined to us that they wished to be able to react earlier than the Olympics. Fearing the large inflow of vacationers from all over the world and the resurgence of the tiger mosquito, they imagined there might be a rise in dengue instances in mainland France and now not simply within the abroad territories. We discovered this very related and accountable. However time has handed and 70 days earlier than the Olympics the conferences comply with one another with out a lot taking place.
Is the epidemiological state of affairs of dengue worrying?
Dr Michel Sala: The dengue epidemic gained floor in France (as of 1 January 2024 in mainland France, 78 out of 96 departments are colonized by the tiger mosquito, see French public well being statistics). The sharp improve in instances of dengue virus contamination invitations us to query preventive measures at each nationwide and regional ranges. The absence of an epidemiological surveillance system worries us. A mini-dengue surveillance community already exists in France referred to as 3labos, based mostly on the automated reporting of particular person knowledge to Public Well being France by three centralizing sampling laboratories (Eurofins Biomnis and Cerba, editor’s notice). However the epidemic might also be exacerbated throughout the summer season by the ten million vacationers anticipated on the Olympics. It’s attainable that instances of dengue fever might be identified outdoors these three centralizing laboratories, and these instances of dengue fever will go utterly unnoticed by the individuals answerable for monitoring epidemics in France.
Do you doubt that the Labo-é-SI monitoring system might be put in place for the Olympics?
Dr Michel Sala: In the course of the Covid-19 epidemic, medical biologists, software program publishers and public authorities sat across the desk. We managed to place SIDEP collectively in eight weeks! This software has confirmed extremely worthwhile in serving to authorities monitor the outbreak. When the well being authorities need to do one thing, they succeed, however there is no such thing as a progress!
Do you suppose the Ministry of Well being or Santé Publique France is failing?
Dr Michel Sala: It’s the administration of the venture carried out by the Directorate Normal for Well being (DGS) that we’re speaking regarding. DGS invited us to a gathering this Friday for a large and quick distribution of Labo-é-SI. However a number of questions stay unanswered. Are software program corporations prepared? It is not regarding sending Excel recordsdata, however one thing automated like SIDEP which labored remarkably effectively.
And what’s deliberate to reward the work of medical biologists? We requested for remuneration in accordance with the mannequin we had for SIDEP for Covid (3B or 75 euro cents). This made it attainable to pay for updating our software program and in addition pay for all data gathering.
So far no remuneration is scheduled?
Dr Michel Sala: For nearly a yr now we have been asking for remuneration in return for this intelligence work. We aren’t asking for hundreds and a whole bunch, however to obtain an affordable wage for this activity.
Public authorities have advised us on a number of events that this level is related, however as of 15 Might, nothing remains to be taking place. Your entire world of medical biology has requested that medical health insurance attend conferences to validate the reimbursement for this gathering of data and updating of software program. The consequence alone will not be sufficient, the general public authorities ask us to supply data on whether or not the affected person has a fever, whether or not he has been vaccinated, and whether or not it’s covid or flu, whether or not the affected person lives in collective or particular person housing. These metadata are very worthwhile, they permit correct monitoring of the epidemic….
How do you envision this epidemiological surveillance and which illnesses ought to it cowl?
Dr Michel Sala: We advocate taking SIDEP as a mannequin that offered details regarding Covid routinely and in actual time. Past Covid, it additionally appears crucial for us to supply data on different respiratory viruses and dengue fever in order that the authorities can have an virtually real-time image of the assessments carried out in France. This may enable us to know who’s affected and the way. Do these individuals come from overseas?
The invention of the Covid disaster in 2020 charged social accounts. Is not this accountability detrimental to your request for compensation?
Dr Michel Sala: I do not suppose so. Our request will not be associated to the execution of assessments, however to the gathering of data that can’t be free. We’re witnessing a dialogue between deaf individuals. Some pilot assessments have been carried out in round ten laboratories, however now we have not obtained any suggestions. We introduced this subject in February, however we stay at nighttime. It’s a disgrace as a result of public authorities have been visionary in September 2023 by indicating that they supposed to arrange epidemiological surveillance.
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