France asks medics to help with Covid-19 surge in Guadeloupe and Martinique

France's health minister has appealed for volunteer doctors and nurses on the mainland to travel to the overseas territories of Guadaloupe and Martinique as Covid-19 infections overwhelm hospitals on the two Caribbean islands.

Fire fighters and emergency workers stand in front of a triage tent put in place to tend to patients, at the Pierre Zobda-Quitman University hospital (CHU) in Fort-de-France, Martinique, on July 30, 2021. AFP - LIONEL CHAMOISEAU

Health Minister Olivier Véran said the first medical staff would fly out on Tuesday, as health authorities race to administer Covid-19 shots but face a deep-rooted culture of vaccine-hesitancy.

Only 21 percent of the populations of Guadaloupe and Martinique have received a first dose of a vaccine, according to the independent CovidTracker website citing 5 August data. Uptake on the Caribbean islands is far lower than the nationwide average: two thirds of all French people have received one dose and 55 percent are now fully vaccinated.

Hospitals on the islands are buckling under pressure with intensive care bed occupancy on Martinique alone at 200 percent of normal capacity.

In an appeal launched on social media on Sunday, Véran said Martinique and Guadaloupe were facing "an intense wave of infections" that was hitting a population where vaccination levels were too low.

Face à la situation sanitaire en Martinique et en Guadeloupe, j’en appelle à la solidarité nationale pour venir en soutien aux équipes médicales sur place.
➡️ Si vous êtes volontaire : prenez sans délai l’attache de votre établissement ou de votre ARS. pic.twitter.com/Tz2hqxQytp

— Olivier Véran (@olivierveran) August 8, 2021

• Guadeloupe re-enters lockdown as Covid-19 creates "catastrophic situation"

• Lockdowns imposed as Covid cases surge in several French overseas territories

A three-week partial lockdown was imposed on the island of Martinique on 30 July and the French army has already sent over 40-50 doctors and nurses to help with the surge in infections.

On Monday, mainland France will extend its controversial health pass scheme to include bars, restaurants and cafes, as well as long distance trains, to help contain a fourth wave of infections.

(with Reuters)