“I, a physician, declare that I will continue to provide free treatment to undocumented patients according to their needs, in accordance with the Hippocratic Oath that I have taken. » here is “declaration of disobedience” signed by 3,500 salaried and self-employed doctors, opposed to the abolition of state medical aid (AME) for undocumented immigrants, in an appeal sent on Saturday to Agence France-Presse (AFP). These health professionals are committed to “disobey” and to “continue to provide care for free” these patients if the device were to disappear, as part of the political class wishes.
“I will remain indifferent to their social or financial conditions, as well as their language and nationality”promise the signatories in this text launched by two psychiatrists heads of department in the Henri Mondor hospitals of Créteil and the intercommunal hospital center of Créteil, the Pr Antoine Pelissolo and Jean-Marc Baleyte. “Ethics prescribes the right care for each person who consults me. Wisdom denounces the ethical fault and in passing the epidemiological error », they continue. Before concluding : “Patients from here and elsewhere, my door is open to you. And will remain so. »
During consideration of the immigration bill this week, the Senate adopted an amendment that removes and transforms the AME into “emergency medical aid”. The government did not oppose it, but the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, has since declared that he “wished not” that the text remains as is.
“In hospitals, this is indeed disobedience”
The AME covers 100% of the health costs of foreigners present on French soil for at least three months. His detractors accuse him of generating a “call of air” for illegal immigration and to cost ” too expensive “currently 1.2 billion euros per year for 400,000 beneficiaries (3,000 euros per year per beneficiary).
“Many private doctors have signed, general practitioners or specialists. If they see an uncovered patient, they will not get paid. It’s a very strong position.”explained P.r Pelissolo. “In hospitals, this is indeed disobedience. I may not declare a consultation. In the case of hospitalization, this will be at the hospital’s expense. It’s my decision even if it’s against the usual hospital rules”he clarified.
Among the other signatories are emergency physician Patrick Pelloux, Julie Chastang, vice-president of the College of General Medicine and pediatric nephrologist Rémi Salomon. Three thousand caregivers – doctors, but also paramedical professions – had already signed a column last week in The worldcalling to preserve this system “public health”.