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Introduction: Surgical campaigns for thyroid surgery in low-income environments are very efficient, but there is little literature reporting results. These campaigns are complex due to multiple particularities: highly evolved cases, the need for professionals to travel or an obvious socio-cultural barrier influence towards the surgical act. We describe a surgical campaign in Cameroon to treat patients with goiter and issue some medical and sociocultural recommendations in view of our experience for its implementation with guarantees., Material and Methods: An experienced group carried out an 11-day campaign at the Saint Martin de Porres Dominican Hospital, Yaounde, Cameroon. Demographic data, TSH values, surgery and complications after a 12-month follow-up were analyzed., Results: Thirty-eight patients with goiter were selected for the campaign and 32 patients (mean age, 40-years-old; 30 females) were operated. Bilateral goiter, as assessed with echography, was diagnosed in 13 patients (41%). Ten patients (31%) had a WHO grade II goiter (visible with the neck in a normal position). The surgical procedures were 18 unilateral thyroidectomy with isthmectomie, 13 total thyroidectomy, and 1 totalizing thyroidectomy, due to previous unilateral thyroidectomy (cancer recurrence). A pathological study in 13 patients (40%, extra cost 60 €) showed benign multinodular goiter/thyroid nodule (12 patients) and an extensive papillary carcinoma (one patient). Six months postoperatively, 3 patients had a slight dysphonia and one patient had persistent hypocalcemia. Follow-up was completed in all patients, either face to face (75%, 24 patients) or by phone (25%, 8 patients who failed to have a TSH test because of its cost, 23 €)., Conclusions: Surgical campaigns to treat thyroid pathology can be carried out with guarantees if a series of important steps are followed: active participation of the patient's environment, thyroid ultrasound by the surgical team to decide which technique, intense awareness about monitoring and hormone replacement therapy, and the participation of local personnel for long-term follow-up., Competing Interests: Les auteurs déclarent qu'ils n'ont aucun conflit d'intérêts., (Copyright © 2024 SFMTSI.)

Early reporting of the introduction and establishment of exotic species is of paramount importance for successful management. Here, we report the introduction and rapid spread of the Bare-eyed Pigeon, Patagioenas corensis, on the binational island of Saint-Martin, the West Indies. This range-restricted species naturally occurs in arid coastal areas of Columbia and Venezuela and nearby islands. Its introduction on Saint-Martin represents an expansion of about 1000 km beyond its established native range. Using observations recorded in eBird and results from a recent field survey, we show that since its introduction, most probably between late 2012 and early 2013, the species has expanded fast in Saint-Martin and has recently broadened its habitat to include anthropized, built areas. The expansion of Bare-eyed Pigeon on Saint-Martin and the neighboring Leeward Islands, possibly facilitated by climate change in the future, could be a threat to both native columbid species and other bird species through competition for resources. We therefore recommend that local authorities and stakeholders rapidly eradicate the species or at least prevent its further spread on Saint-Martin, possibly though listing it as a game species, while it is still possible to do so.

Simple Summary: Early detection of the introduction and establishment of exotic species is crucial to prevent further spread and minimize negative impacts on native species, ecosystems, and agrosystems. Using citizen science and field surveys, this study documents the establishment and expansion of the Bare-eyed Pigeon, Patagioenas corensis, native to South America, on the island of Saint-Martin, the West Indies. Following its introduction about 10 years ago, the species is now expanding fast on the island, where it could compete with native bird species. First observed in coastal areas, the Bare-eyed Pigeon has progressively diversified its habitat use to exploit anthropized areas. Evidence for steady increases in both numbers and reproductive activity on the island calls for rapid management before it is too late. To that end, we strongly recommend adding the exotic Bare-eyed Pigeon to the official list of game species on Saint-Martin. Early reporting of the introduction and establishment of exotic species is of paramount importance for successful management. Here, we report the introduction and rapid spread of the Bare-eyed Pigeon, Patagioenas corensis, on the binational island of Saint-Martin, the West Indies. This range-restricted species naturally occurs in arid coastal areas of Columbia and Venezuela and nearby islands. Its introduction on Saint-Martin represents an expansion of about 1000 km beyond its established native range. Using observations recorded in eBird and results from a recent field survey, we show that since its introduction, most probably between late 2012 and early 2013, the species has expanded fast in Saint-Martin and has recently broadened its habitat to include anthropized, built areas. The expansion of Bare-eyed Pigeon on Saint-Martin and the neighboring Leeward Islands, possibly facilitated by climate change in the future, could be a threat to both native columbid species and other bird species through competition for resources. We therefore recommend that local authorities and stakeholders rapidly eradicate the species or at least prevent its further spread on Saint-Martin, possibly though listing it as a game species, while it is still possible to do so. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local perspectives provide different insights into disaster planning and response as compared to those of experts. Eliciting them, however, can be challenging, particularly for marginalised groups whose viewpoints have historically been excluded from planning processes. Fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) provides a semi-quantitative approach to representing the collective understanding or 'mental models' of diverse individuals and communities. This study involved 23 FCM interviews across three neighbourhoods of Saint Martin to comprehend: (i) how individuals' mental models of Hurricane Irma (2017) differ based on their context; (ii) how aligned mental models are with policy and planning documents; and (iii) the implications for the inclusiveness and representativeness of disaster response policies. It found that the residents of different neighbourhoods provided unique insights into the factors driving the social-ecological system, and that official policies aligned closely with priorities. The paper argues that the inclusion of the perspectives of different groups in disaster recovery is essential for an equitable process., (© 2024 ODI.)

On September 6, 2017, Hurricane Irma (category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale) passed through Saint Martin (French West Indies). Based on a field survey conducted in the French part of the island, this work aims to characterise the preventive opportunity of the post-disaster reconstruction period by questioning the land use reorganisation (via the revision of the Plan de Prévention des Risques Naturels – PPRN). The IPCC, in its 2019 report on the Oceans and Cryosphere, highlights that societies are developing a multitude of measures to adapt to coastal risks, most often in response to disasters. The analysis of reconstruction choices and their consequences therefore provides information on the concrete adaptation processes. By analysing the revision procedure of the PPRN of Saint-Martin, we examine the State’s willingness to integrate the ‘lessons learned’ from Irma, and question how it reveals the dysfunctions and tensions that pre-existed in the socio-territorial system. This concrete example shows the obstacles and levers to the implementation of a preventive reconstruction strategy that involves the reorganisation of the territory to take better account of present and future risks. This study allows us to conclude on the paradox of post-disaster recovery, which is both a ‘window of opportunity’ and a catalyst of vulnerabilities, an opportunity for change and an illustration of the weight of past legacies and the inertia of systems.