Key Points

Latest Official Documents

• Electronic certification is mandatory for all deaths occurring in healthcare facilities as of June 1, 2022 (see Decree of February 28, 2022)

• Under certain conditions, a state-certified nurse may issue death certificates (see Article 56 of Law No. 2025-199 of February 28, 2025)

• As of January 1, 2025, the neonatal certificate has been replaced by the infant certificate, which is to be used for deaths occurring up to 364 days of life (see Order of May 29, 2024)

Status in 2024

• 1% of deaths certified electronically in French Guiana (49% in France) in 2024

• Electronic certification was higher for deaths occurring in nursing homes and at home (9%) than for deaths occurring in public or private facilities (1%), even though more than 60% of deaths occur in facilities

• 18 of French Guiana’s 22 municipalities were connected to the HuBEE portal in 2024, resulting in an increase in electronic certification observed by the end of 2024

Use of data

Electronic certification data can be used for surveillance:

• to measure the impact of epidemics such as COVID-19 or the flu

• to identify unusual trends in certain causes of death