Hunger in French Guiana, an endemic plague worsened by the health crisis / La faim en Guyane française : un fléau endémique amplifié par la crise sanitaire

In 2020, food shortages occurred at the beginning of the confinement period that was supposed to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. In French Guiana, where a major part of the population lives under the poverty line, health workers voiced major concerns. Alongside massive food aid distributions, a first transversal study was carried out in August 2020 targeting poor neighborhoods in Cayenne. The results were particularly worrying. More than 80% of households had been suffering from hunger during that month, with a median decrease of 46% in revenue. Two other investigations followed in February and then in August of 2021. With the relaxing of the health measures, the situation improved in the Cayenne region, but two out of three were still affected, showing signs of quantitative deficiencies and insufficient food diversity. The situation seemed particularly grave for children. In light of this situation, we propose to create an observatory of food insecurity in Guiana, while maintaining this topic as a health priority. In addition, the fight against food insecurity cannot be limited to multi-sectorial material and strategic aide. It must be thought about in a more global manner, including health and social questions, territorial management policies, access to land and water, access to rights and social inclusion. Targeted actions helping the most exposed and vulnerable people is also an important stake, independent of the administrative situation and residency rights of the concerned people.

En 2020, des pénuries alimentaires sont survenues dès l'entrée en vigueur du confinement destiné à contrôler la pandémie de COVID-19. En Guyane Française, où une forte proportion de la population vivait déjà sous le seuil de pauvreté, des alertes préoccupantes ont émané d'acteurs de santé. En parallèle du déploiement d'une aide alimentaire massive, une première enquête transversale a été menée en août 2020, ciblant les quartiers précaires des environs de Cayenne. Les résultats étaient particulièrement inquiétants : plus de 80 % des ménages avaient souffert de la faim dans le mois, avec une baisse médiane de revenus de 46 %. Deux autres enquêtes ont suivi, en février, puis en août 2021. Avec l'allègement des mesures sanitaires, la situation s'était sensiblement améliorée dans la région de Cayenne, mais deux ménages sur trois restaient impactés, avec des carences quantitatives et une diversité alimentaire insuffisante. La situation semblait particulièrement critique parmi les enfants. Au vu de cette situation, nous proposons de créer un observatoire de l'insécurité alimentaire en Guyane, tout en maintenant ce sujet en tête des priorités sanitaires. En outre, la lutte contre l'insécurité alimentaire ne peut se limiter à l'aide matérielle : la stratégie, multisectorielle, doit être pensée en globalité, intégrant les problématiques sanitaires et sociales, les enjeux de l'aménagement du territoire, de l'accès à la terre et à l'eau, de l'accès aux droits et à l'insertion sociale. Un ciblage juste des actions vers les publics les plus exposés et vulnérables est également un enjeu important, indépendamment de la situation administrative et du droit au séjour des personnes concernées.

Hunger in French Guiana's Vulnerable Urban Neighborhoods: A Neglected Consequence of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: In French Guiana, restrictions to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 were put in place between March 2020 and March 2022. In vulnerable urban neighborhoods, during this period, requests for food assistance increased and fear of hunger overtook fear of being affected by COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this survey was to describe food security during the COVID-19 pandemic in French Guiana and to study the relationship between the socioeconomic conditions of the study households and household hunger. METHODS: A multicenter survey was therefore conducted in mobile clinics and fixed structures providing care to at-risk urban populations. In a face-to-face interview, a community health worker asked participants questions about the sociodemographic and economic profile of the household, and about household food security (food consumption score, coping strategies in the face of food shortages, and household hunger index). Two hundred seventy-seven households were recruited in February 2021. RESULTS: According to the household hunger scale, 42.6% of households experienced moderate hunger and 23.8% of households experienced severe hunger in the month preceding the survey. Lack of residence permit, lack of social support, water insecurity, small housing, and lack of access to an urban garden were determinants related to the risk of household hunger. CONCLUSIONS: Food insecurity has affected a large majority of the households in this survey, and the immediate consequences for children's health were already apparent. These results draw attention to a neglected health problem in a socioeconomically vulnerable population during the COVID-19 pandemic.