Improvement of healthcare in Mayotte: Scientific expertise and e-health on the horizon
The healthcare sector in Mayotte, a French department in the Indian Ocean, is receiving special attention with sustained efforts to improve residents’ living conditions. In this regards, the development of digital health and the promotion of scientific expertise are reinforcing initiatives to address the island’s specific health challenges.
When health and technology unite
Digital health is the application of information and communication technologies in the healthcare sector. This includes telemedicine, prevention, home care, and remote monitoring of chronic diseases. The advent of digital health has revolutionized medical practice in Mayotte, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when it helped compensate for a shortage of doctors and meet the growing demand for healthcare services. At present, the use of connected diagnostic aids is being considered to enhance teleconsultation and improve the quality of care. In this context, Dr. Martine Eutrope, a general practitioner and founder of the telemedicine association « Entre pour votre santé », and Émeric Blanchin, a digital transformation consultant, led a conference on this topic at the Dembéni University Training and Research Center. According to Dr. Eutrope, « A trained freelance nurse can visit a patient’s home with a telemedicine kit, and I can conduct my consultation remotely. I used this solution extensively during the pandemic ». The experts hope to continue along this promising path to ensure a better healthcare system in Mayotte.
Scientific expertise for better nutrition
On May 22, the Research Institute for Development (IRD) and Public Health France shared their respective findings on food and nutrition in Mayotte. This initiative is part of the Mahoran Food, Physical Activity, and Health Program (PMAAPS), coordinated by the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Mayotte. The PMAAPS aims to improve the health of Mayotte’s residents by addressing various factors, including access to prevention and health education, promoting daily physical activity, implementing an effective price-quality shield, and promoting healthy eating through collective canteens, whether school-based or otherwise. The IRD’s expertise, gathered in 2018, provided a comprehensive review of scientific knowledge on food and nutrition in overseas departments and regions, offering specific action recommendations to guide public policies in the field. In 2019, Public Health France conducted a complementary study called « UNONO WA MAORE », aiming to understand the health status of Mayotte’s population and the vaccination coverage of children under two years old to develop adapted health promotion and prevention devices.
« Mayotte en santé » Symposium for underprivileged areas
In light of these advances and the remaining challenges, the Mahoran association Nariké M’sada, in partnership with POPAM, Mayotte’s hospital center, Fédération Addiction, the French Society for the Fight Against AIDS (SFLS), and the National Agency for Research on AIDS and Hepatitis Viruses (ANRS-MIE), is organizing the « Mayotte en santé » symposium focusing specifically on underprivileged areas. Scheduled for September 18 to 20 in Codoni, this event aims to bring together experts, healthcare professionals, researchers, and field actors to discuss the specific health challenges faced by underprivileged territories and propose innovative solutions to improve access to care, prevention, and service quality.
Mias Sylvia
