French Defence Health service

Service de santé des armées
Logo of the French Defence Health service
Country	France
Allegiance	Armée française
Commanders
Current commander	Médecin général des armées Jean-Marc Debonne

French Defence Health Service (Service de santé des armées or SSA) is responsible for medical and sanitary support of the French military and of all institutions placed under the authority of the French Ministry of Defence. It is a joint service, and its central administration (direction centrale du service de santé des armées, DCSSA)is under the direct control of the Chief of the defence staff (chef d'état-major des armées (CEMA)).

Its significant presence on French territory ensures adequate support for French operations in overseas theatres. It provides hospital care services, administers medicals for military personnel, and gives expertise in disease prevention, and medical, dental, pharmaceutical, paramedical and veterinary research and education.

Physicians and chemists receive initial training in Bordeaux and Lyon. Then, they are sent to the Val de Grâce Hospital in Paris for applied training. Dentists and vets are recruited in the civilian labour market. The service also includes administrative and technical officers (OCTASSA), nurses (males and females) and paramedical staff.

The health services of the French army and navy were set up by Louis XIV with the 17 January 1708 edict which established royal doctors and surgeons offices.

During The French Revolution (1789–1799) and the Napoleonic Empire (1804–1814), changes were required due to successive mobilisations. So, military hospitals were set up in religious buildings such as the Val-de-Grâce church in Paris.

In 1882, the French Parliament gave the military health services a degree of independence. Subsequently, eight hospitals, two schools (in Lyon and Bordeaux), as well as research and sanitary supply agencies were gradually acquired.

In 1890, the Military Medical Schools at Bordeaux and Lyon opened. Bordeaux educated for the Navy and colonial troops, while Lyon educated for l'Armee de terre and the new Air Force.

In 1962, a central management of the military health services was established. In 1968, all of the military health services (Navy, Air Force, Army, Gendarmerie, etc.) merged to form a single joint Defence Health Service.

On July 2, 2011, the School of Army Health (ESA) was established as part of a rationalisation of the armed forces, meaning the closure of Bordeaux, making Lyon the only school of military institution providing the first six years of medical and pharmacist training in the armed forces. The ESA inherits the traditions of both schools.