Santé publique France is France’s national public health agency. A public institution under the authority of the Minister of Health, formed through the merger of several public institutions and established by Ordinance 2016-246 of April 15, 2016, the agency works to promote public health. As a scientific, expert, and public health safety agency, its missions include:

1. Epidemiological observation and surveillance of the population’s health status;
2. Monitoring health risks threatening the population;
3. Promoting health and reducing health risks;
4. Developing prevention and health education;
5. Preparation for and response to health threats, alerts, and crises;
6. Issuing public health alerts.

The agency is organized into 12 departments—some scientific, some cross-functional, and some providing operational support.

The agency’s strategic priorities and work program, established by its Board of Directors, are organized into three areas: Strengthening the capacity for anticipation and rapid response to health threats; Measuring and assessing the extent of diseases and risk factors to guide their prevention and control; Strengthening the health impact of all public policies and the prevention and promotion of health.

Regional Directorate (DiRe)

Responsibilities 

Reporting to the regional delegate based in Martinique and his deputy based in Guadeloupe, the Project and Scientific Expertise Manager will oversee the work of the Regional Unit for the Martinique site, focusing in particular on health monitoring and early warning, and the surveillance of infectious diseases (including acute respiratory infections and gastrointestinal infections). He or she will be responsible, for the Antilles, for work on chronic diseases and maternal and child health. He or she will contribute to the development of regional health indicators to support the regional health policies outlined in the Antilles Regional Unit’s annual work plan.

Activities

• Processing of public health signals:
  • Handling complex or unusual signals and public health alerts (defining appropriate methodologies, conducting epidemiological investigations or risk analyses, synthesizing and communicating investigation results, and conducting epidemiological follow-up);
  • Coordinating regional health surveillance and alert systems (thematic working groups, meetings to share best practices, training sessions, development of tools, etc.) 
  • Participation in the regional on-call system of Santé publique France – Antilles.
• Coordinating the surveillance of acute respiratory infections (ARI) and gastroenteritis
  • Coordination of the surveillance network for acute respiratory infections (ARI) and gastrointestinal infections (GI);
  • Collection, processing, analysis, and interpretation of data from syndromic and virological surveillance in Martinique;
  • Preparation of annual epidemiological reports;
  • Implementation of virological and bacteriological surveillance of GEA (in the community and in hospitals).
• Overseeing studies and providing regional health indicators to support regional health policies:
  • Designing public health study protocols; leading, implementing, and analyzing study results, particularly in the areas of chronic diseases and disability;
  • Designing and utilizing databases, statistical tools, and information systems derived from surveys, medical-administrative databases, registries, etc.;
  • Conduct analyses of scientific journals and provide technical expertise on specific issues;
  • Coordinate partner networks and initiate new partnerships (universities, CIC-EC, ORS, etc.).
• Promotion of scientific work and institutional representation:
  • Report findings and manage institutional communications;
  • Draft publications: summary documents, reports, scientific articles, and briefings for decision-makers;
  • The scientific project manager will be responsible for representing the agency to regional partners and responding to media inquiries within their areas of expertise.

He or she will participate in any action falling within the Agency’s mandate if necessary during a crisis, within the limits of his or her expertise.

The duties, activities, and objectives described above are subject to change, particularly in light of periodic revisions to the strategic directions and work programs of the agency and the Regional Unit.

He or she may also be designated by regional management to lead a national project, in particular to facilitate coordination among regions and the exchange of best practices.