People take part in a demonstration near the French Health ministry in Paris. Photograph: Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images

Health service is on brink of collapse, French medics said

There was tension outside the French health ministry across French as medics warned that budget cuts were leading to a collapse and putting patient’s lives at risk to France’s world-class health system. Over 50 hospital emergency rooms have held strike action in the past three months, complaining of funding cuts as the government reduces the number of beds and lack of medical staff.

An emergency room doctor in Bobigny north Paris, Cristophe Prudhomme said they have watched the cuts to the National Health Service in the UK and the NHS can be halted by the government since it’s funded by general taxes. However, it is harder for France since the funding is from specific social security payments. In order to save money, the government is reducing the number of beds and doctors which has lead to several deaths.

Prudhomme also warned that if the cuts still continue, France might be joining the misery of NHS and people won’t get treated as good as what has happened for over the past 20 years. France health system was among the best in the world, but now everyone is afraid that it’s collapsing.

The health minister, Agnes Buzyn is presenting a new healthcare policy arguing for streamlining hospital management and general care, as well as to renovate hospital emergency rooms and offer more bonuses.
 

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/11/french-medics-health-service-collapse-doctors-nurses-protest-outside-french-health-ministry-strikes