"For isolated patients, we are often the only link between home and hospital": Taxi drivers demonstrate in Fréjus

Under the gaze of the police (present in large numbers to limit the impact of the strike on traffic), the tradespeople hand out leaflets to motorists. The reasons for their fed-up attitude? In addition to the usual denunciation of competition from VTCs, there is the modification of the conditions of organization and pricing of medical transport by the Health Insurance . For many tradespeople, this is an attack on a mission that they carry out on a daily basis and that they consider to be a public service.

"Do not dehumanize medical transport"

" This claim speaks to everyone because, in every family, there is someone who has had to go to a chemotherapy session or dialysis by taxi at least once," explains Patrice Burte, a taxi driver involved in a trade union. For professionals, it is not an income . It is a service that, certainly, represents an important part of our activity, but for which we often have to work from 5 a.m. For many elderly people who live in isolated areas such as Haut Var, the taxi is often the only link between home and the hospital. The taxi driver also provides a listening ear and is reassuring in particularly anxious moments for the sick.

The Health Insurance's desire to group patients together for the same trips is understandable, particularly from an environmental perspective. But be careful, this isn't possible all the time and everywhere. In the Eastern Var or less urbanized areas, it's not always feasible. Be careful not to dehumanize this service. Today, we're told we cost 3 billion euros a year... But we mustn't forget that we're also saving a lot of money for our healthcare system, which is increasingly relying on outpatient care to avoid hospitalization costs."