If you need to have health tests done, Your laboratory will probably be closed from this Friday until Monday inclusive, in town as well as at the hospital.L.
Seven unions are speaking of a “historic” mobilization and are calling for a strike to protest against the decision of the National Health Insurance Fund to reduce the budget allocated to medical biology procedures by 360 million, or nearly 10%.
While they were already forced to make financial efforts two years ago, biologists believe that this time, It is their functioning which is directly threatened, with restricted hours, job cuts and also closures for smaller structures.
In the Wazemmes district of Lille, the Biopath laboratory, which usually operates 7 days a week, will close its doors for the first time since it opened 3 years ago. “Yes, it hurts to make this decision. But we have to act, otherwise next year, local service will be a thing of the past. We will move towards a system like in Germany, with a laboratory every 100/150 km, and we will lose our French specificity.”worries Guillaume Obert, doctor in medical biology, and head of the Lille sites of Biopath. According to him, the 60 laboratories of this independent network will also remain closed until Tuesday.
Sophie Morlans
Elizabeth, who is undergoing chemotherapy, needs the results of her blood test to be able to receive her treatment. Informed by her doctor of this strike, she supports the movement. “I need a lab right next to my home. I’m not going to go to the hospital every 15 days. I trust them, they know how to interpret my results.”
70% of medical diagnoses require biology results
This is also the link that biologists defend because the unions emphasize that they are an essential link in the health system. In this student district, the Lille laboratory carries out a lot of screening for sexually transmitted infections. “These STIs are on the rise, there is also whooping cough after Covid, all these missions that we are entrusted with. Not to mention that 70% of medical diagnoses require biology results. If tomorrow, we dehumanize this profession, it is dangerous.” says Guillaume Obert.
The Hauts-de-France Regional Health Agency says it will ensure that urgent tests will be carried out during these 4 days of strike, particularly for hospitalized patients and dialysis patients.
