No health minister was named when the composition of the government was announced. An absence that makes doctors and health users react.
A tightened government, had promised the President of the Republic. He kept his word: 16 ministers, 8 men and 8 women. But, so tight that there is no Minister of Health! In fact, Marisol Touraine retains the Ministry of Social Affairs. So a priori no upheaval for the world of health. Except that health has disappeared from the official title of the ministry.
Should we draw the conclusion that health is not one of the concerns of the new government of Manuel Valls? The least we can say is that it would be in contradiction with the words of the President of the Republic. When François Hollande drew up the roadmap for his new Prime Minister in his televised address on Monday evening, he clearly mentioned that one of the three pillars of social justice was health. But the fact that there was no announcement of a Minister of Health on the steps of the Elysée did not go unnoticed.
“Am I dreaming or there is no Minister of Health?” “
The Order of Physicians immediately expressed its “surprise” and believes that “the objective of improving the quality of the healthcare system cannot be achieved without the existence of a fully-fledged Ministry of Health. Then, anonymous, doctors or health users reacted on Twitter or on the France TV info site. “Am I dreaming or there is no Minister of Health?” With the problems in the hospital civil service and the social security deficit, it seems amazing! One of them is surprised. “The abolition of the Ministry of Health: a good idea! We are going to take another 3 years late, ”protests another tweeters.
However, the Ministry of Health is obviously not abolished outright. The entourage of Marisol Touraine has also let it be known that her area of expertise has not changed. She is therefore in charge of health and we will know next week whether a minister delegate or a secretary of state is appointed for health.
The reasons for maintaining Marisol Touraine
As for the maintenance of Marisol Touraine in social affairs, it was not won. Evil tongues say that she owes her job to being a woman. It is probably a bit short as an analysis. To her credit, there is the pension reform she has carried out. On the health side, the advances are less notable. Regarding one of its priorities, the regulation of excess fees, it has certainly torn off the contract for access to care but without great results for the moment. According to specialists in the fight against tobacco, it was she who convinced François Hollande to put measures on electronic cigarettes in the cancer plan. But, above all, after Roselyne Bachelot who had managed to alienate all the doctors, Marisol Touraine managed to spare the goat and the cabbage. It remains to be seen whether the task will not be more difficult. After the organization of 200 regional forums, it will now be necessary to vote on the national health strategy.
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