Within Santé publique France, its mission is to prepare the agency’s response and intervention during public health emergencies or precautionary operations. It consists of three units: the Alert and Crisis Coordination Unit (UCAC), the Pharmaceutical Supply Unit, and the Public Health Reserve.

Within Santé publique France, the UCAC serves as the central hub for receiving health signals and alerts. It works closely with the Operational Center for Receiving and Coordinating Health and Social Emergencies (CORRUSS) of the Directorate General of Health. This unit publishes a daily alert bulletin listing all current signals and alerts, along with their management and handling. Each week, it prepares the necessary materials for the Health Security Meeting held at the Ministry of Health every Wednesday morning with all agencies likely to handle health alerts.

The pharmaceutical agency is responsible for the procurement and distribution of the government’s strategic stockpile of health products. This stockpile consists primarily of CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) antidotes, as well as antivirals and medical devices (such as surgical masks) to combat pandemics.

The Alert and Crisis Management Division sprang into action as soon as the alert was issued. We proposed a cross-functional organizational structure comprising various units (decision-making, expertise, coordination, investigation and monitoring, and human resources) necessary for managing the situation. We play an organizational and coordinating role among the various units involved and are responsible for maintaining daily communication with the DGS regarding Santé publique France’s actions. An internal briefing bringing together all those involved takes place daily to share information on the evolution of the coronavirus epidemic. Topics discussed include the epidemiological situation in France and internationally, possible scenarios, changes to the case definition and their implications for informing healthcare professionals, issues related to the monitoring of confirmed cases, reception, quarantine, and monitoring of citizens, and the procurement of medical devices… All communications, requests from decision-makers, and the agency’s actions are recorded in a logbook that tracks all of Santé publique France’s activities.

On the ground, the pharmaceutical division has intervened on several occasions to supply Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport with surgical masks, as well as 26 domestic and overseas airports, and the three quarantine centers with medical supplies and essential medications; to provide regional health agencies with stocks of surgical masks for outpatient care, and to collaborate with the Directorate General of Health on the strategy for supplying equipment to healthcare facilities.

First, our well-established operational procedures (Hurricane Irma, the Lubrizol fire, etc.), and second, our ability to adapt and mobilize in a highly structured manner within a very short timeframe to respond to an alert or a crisis. Staff are fully committed 24/7. In the Alert and Crisis Division alone, nearly fifteen people from the coordination and pharmaceutical units have been on duty since the alert began. This does not include the reinforcements we can draw from other divisions, particularly in the regions. On-call staffing levels have been doubled both nationally and regionally.

On the ground, we are ready to respond very quickly. The Health Reserve can be mobilized in record time, and the pharmaceutical division has regional hubs spread across the entire country and in the overseas territories. This allows us to pre-position stocks to respond more quickly to needs within less than 6 hours. Finally, our ability to collaborate with other health agencies, such as the ANSM.