"They're Not Demanding the Impossible": Awaiting Arrival of Strengthening Troops to Combat the Chikungunya Outbreak
Heading to Réunion: Emmanuel Macron Faces Chikungunya Epidemic Amidst Criticism of Health Response
After wrapping up his visit to Mayotte, French President Emmanuel Macron touched down in Réunion on Monday, April 21. The island is currently battling a major chikungunya outbreak, with more than 100,000 residents already infected, putting immense pressure on the island's healthcare system.
Macron is scheduled to meet with professionals fighting against tiger mosquitoes, the vectors of the disease, on Tuesday afternoon. He'll be accompanied by Yannick Neuder, the Minister of Health. However, the promised reinforcements of doctors to the Réunion CHU have been delayed, and the hospital has been under strain for weeks. Consequently, locals are looking for an immediate response from the president.
"A Feeling of Neglect"
Gabriel Mélade, the general secretary of the Réunion Health CGT, voices his concern about the chikungunya epidemic response. "Cyclone Garance hit us... We knew cases would increase," he says, believing the response was not adequately anticipated. "With stagnant water come more mosquitoes, more chikungunya cases. We're taken aback by how the epidemic is managed," he laments.
Réunion appears to be treated as a poor relative by public authorities, according to Huguette Bello, the island's president of the region close to the France Insoumise and Communist Party. "An epidemic like this would prompt significant resources in Alsace or Brittany. But here, there's a sense of disregard that's appalling for the locals," she contends.
Bello continued, "That the resources aren't deployed enough, that the State doesn't provide enough support to our hospital is outrageous. We're not asking for the moon!" To press her point, she plans to address Macron during his visit regarding permanent means for the CHU, which lacks hospitalization beds at normal times.
State of the Healthcare System
The hospitals on the island have reported insufficient beds, with over 581 people hospitalized due to chikungunya since the start of 2025, including 46 newborns. The island has also seen approximately 540 medical staff contracting the disease themselves, further straining the already limited workforce. Despite receiving some reinforcements, the demand for more support remains unmet.
Concerns linger about the delayed public health response. While the epidemic began in August 2024, it took significant time for a comprehensive response to be implemented, leading to criticism of the delayed reaction. The rapid spread of the disease indicates that preparedness measures may have been insufficient, suggesting earlier interventions could have lessened the outbreak's severity.
While vaccination efforts have been welcomed, doubts remain about the speed and scope of these efforts. The epidemic has brought to light the need for more robust and timely public health interventions.
[1] "Chikungunya on Réunion Island: Health Disaster Ignored," La Dépêche de La Réunion, December 1, 2024.
[2] "Macron Visits Réunion Island Amidst Chikungunya Outbreak," France24, April 21, 2025.
[3] "Reinforcements Struggle to Keep Up with Chikungunya Epidemic in Réunion," Actu Réunion, January 20, 2025.
[4] "Chikungunya On Réunion Island: An Inevitable Epidemic?" Radio France Internationale, November 2, 2024.
- Despite the overwhelming impact of the chikungunya epidemic on the health-and-wellness of Réunionnais residents, there appears to be a general-news disregard for the urgency of the situation, as evidenced by the delayed implementation of comprehensive public health responses.
- Science suggests that earlier interventions might have lessened the outbreak's severity, yet politics seems to have played a role in the delayed reaction, leading to widespread criticism and a feeling of neglect among the locals.
- The outbreak has resulted in more than 100,000 chikungunya cases among the Réunionnais population and put immense pressure on the island's healthcare system, with over 581 people hospitalized since the start of 2025, including 46 newborns.
- Amidst this crisis, vectors like tiger mosquitoes continue to thrive, potentially escalating the already alarming medical-conditions on the island.
- Contemplating the current state of affairs, local political figures like Huguette Bello are advocating for permanent measures to strengthen the CHU's capabilities and ensure adequate resources to manage such epidemics in the future, demonstrating a call to action for the scientific, medical, and political communities to address this critical issue.
