FRANCE - In comparison to other European countries, France has fallen to 23rd place in infant mortality rates. Approximately 2,709 children die each year before their first birthday. However, according to available information, a report from the French General Inspectorate for Social Affairs (Igas), which was intended to shed light on this issue, has not been published. Its findings may challenge some healthcare policies that have been implemented in France for over two decades.
France has long been considered one of the European countries with a very high quality of healthcare and low infant mortality rates. However, critics argue that developments in recent years show that the situation is deteriorating in terms of care for mothers and newborns. According to available data, the country has fallen to 23rd place in the European ranking. Approximately 2,709 children die each year before their first birthday.
These figures have become the subject of increasing public debate, and the main question is why France has not been able to reverse this trend. The criticism is not only directed at hospitals or healthcare professionals, but also at long-term decisions made by the state.
Therefore, a report from the French General Inspectorate for Social Affairs (Igas) has attracted attention. Critics argue that the document provides an analysis of the causes of rising infant mortality, but the French Ministry of Health is refusing to publish it. If this information were confirmed, it would mean that the public does not have access to a document that could be important for understanding developments in French healthcare.
According to available information, the report is problematic because its conclusions may contradict policies that have been implemented in France for over twenty years. The question of whether long-term reorganization of maternity and neonatal care has contributed to the current situation is one of the main topics of discussion.
Journalists from the newspaper L'Humanité, including Anthony Cortes, author of the book "4,1. Le scandale des accouchements en France," and political reporter Émilio Meslet, have also highlighted this issue. They are not only concerned with the statistical data itself, but also with the functioning of obstetrics, access to care, and the consequences of decisions made at the political level.
The figure of 2,709 deaths of children before their first birthday should be viewed in a broader demographic context. Infant mortality is usually expressed as the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1,000 live births. Therefore, for international comparisons, the rate itself is more important than the absolute number of deaths.
However, the case of France raises a broader question: can a healthcare system that has been built up over time truly be considered successful if its results are deteriorating in such a sensitive area? And if there is a state analysis that attempts to identify the causes of this development, critics argue that it should be made available to the public.
The debate surrounding the classified Igas report is not just about statistics. It touches on the transparency of French healthcare policy, the responsibility of the state, and the future of care for mothers and newborns.
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