In a column dated February 17, 18 mayors of large French cities ask for means to act against health inequalities.
“Health inequalities are not inevitable.” This is the title of a column signed in the JDD by 18 mayors* of major cities. “France is one of the countries where social inequalities in mortality and health are the highest in Western Europe, and the trend is not downward. The observation drawn up in recent years by the authorities of the State is in complete inconsistency with the motto of equality of our Republic”, deplore the elected officials.
The obesity index varies from 1 to 10 between children of executives and workers
Social and territorial inequalities in health remain at high levels in France and begin at an early age. They are reflected in men by a gap of 13 years in life expectancy between the wealthiest and the poorest and 8 years for women. For women without any diploma, the risk of giving birth to a child of low weight (less than 2500 grams) is 50% higher than for those with the baccalaureate. In oral matters, less than 2% of the children of executives have at least two untreated decayed teeth, against 11% of the children of workers. In CM2 class, the obesity index varies from 1 to 10 between children of managers and workers.
To act, “three axes are priorities in our eyes”, explain the mayors: measure these inequalities on the territories, decompartmentalize the interventions and train the professionals. “We must remember that the levers for action are largely local. (…) We are asking for the establishment of means to act locally, in a coordinated way and with respect for the equity of the territories. This is about the promise of equality of our Republic”, continue the elected officials, including Anne Hidalgo in Paris, Jean-Claude Gaudin in Marseille or the ex-mayor of Bordeaux Alain Juppé.
“The trend is a bit towards Americanization”
The latest data from the CNOM indeed indicate an increase in inequalities between the best-off departments in terms of medical density. The worst-off departments now have 1.6 times fewer generalists than the best-off, compared to 1.4 times fewer in 2010. The gap is even greater for various other professions, with for example 2, 6 times fewer ophthalmologists, 2.7 times fewer psychiatrists and 3.6 times fewer dermatologists in the most under-resourced areas.
“Health is expensive today in France, but it is our most precious asset. We are obviously not the worst in this area at the national level. But the trend is a bit towards Americanization. is to say: Give me your credit card and then I’ll heal you. We are not quite there, but this is what must be avoided”, concludes on France Info the mayor of Strasbourg Roland Ries.
*Nathalie Appéré, Mayor of Rennes; Christophe Béchu, Mayor of Angers; Alain Bocquet, Mayor of Saint-Amand-les-Eaux; Joel Bruneau, Mayor of Caen; Olivier Carré, mayor of Orléans; Gérard Collomb, Mayor of Lyon; François Cuillandre, Mayor of Brest; Jean-François Debat, Mayor of Bourg-en-Bresse; Brigitte Fouré, Mayor of Amiens; Jean-Louis Fousseret, Mayor of Besançon; Jean-Claude Gaudin, Mayor of Marseilles; Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris; Alain Juppé, Mayor of Bordeaux; Michèle Lutz, mayor of Mulhouse; Eric Piolle, Mayor of Grenoble; Roland Ries, Mayor of Strasbourg; Johanna Rolland, mayor of Nantes; and Danielle Valéro, Deputy Mayor of Evry. They call for “the establishment of means to act locally, in a coordinated way and in respect of the equity of the territories.”
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