New premises commensurate with the activity of Médecins du monde in Montpellier

Marie Ferré, en haut à droite, et une partie de l'équipe dans les nouveaux locaux de l'antenne. midilibre – G. T.

Since mid-April, the Médecins du monde branch has had new premises at Euromédicine. A space twice as large, commensurate with its activity carried out with the most precarious. Each year, nearly 1,450 people are welcomed into its reception, care and guidance center.

The new branch opened its doors a few steps from the Euromédicine tram stop: since mid-April, Médecins du monde have had new premises and a space commensurate with its activity of welcoming and guiding the most vulnerable people. The six employees were previously housed on rue Henri-Dunant. "We went from 140 m² to 400 m², there were four of us in an office of 15 m², there was no confidentiality" recalls Marie Ferré, the Languedoc-Roussillon regional coordinator of the association.

Half of patients do not use their rights

This Thursday morning, the manager leads the visits organized for her partners and supporters, City, Department, regional health agency, health insurance fund. A space which opens onto its care and orientation reception center (Caso) where visitors can benefit from a medico-social consultation and information on their access to rights.

The objective is to direct people towards specialized care services based on the pathologies observed. "We are not intended to provide specialized care. We are the equivalent of a general practitioner" specifies Marie Ferré. Each year, the Caso office welcomes nearly 1 450 people "including 900 to 1  000 newcomers. 49% of them do not use AME, state medical aid. If people take less care of themselves, pathologies become more complicated". The center also has a dental office where three volunteer surgeons provide consultations without appointment for three half-days per week. An equally important activity since 850 patients are welcomed there per year.

Virtual patrols for online prostitution

In parallel with this reception mission, Médecins du Monde continues to carry out its patrols in the field, particularly for residents of shanty towns, squats and sex workers as part of its harm reduction programme, “Rosela”.

Since the 2016 law penalising clients of prostitutes, online solicitation has grown considerably and has led Médecins du Monde to create a “virtual patrol” where those who offer their services are contacted by SMS to find out their needs. “We try to go where people are invisible, to marginalized populations” adds Marie Ferré who can rely, in addition to employees, on a team of 80 volunteers, essential cogs in trying to overcome “the obstacles to health”.

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