Raymond Bagnis (17 May 1932 – 19 July 2023) was a French medical doctor who practiced in

French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = "Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of French ...

for fifty years, during which he did significant research on

Ciguatera fish poisoning Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP), also known simply as ciguatera, is a foodborne illness caused by eating reef fish whose flesh is contaminated with certain toxins. Such individual fish are said to be ciguatoxic. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomi ...

. He was also a founder of the Proscience Te Turu ‘Ihi Association, and served as President of the French Polynesia Council of Physicians in 2019.

Life and career

Raymond Bagnis was born in

Nice Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...

on 17 May 1932. He trained as a medical doctor at the ''École du service de santé des armées de Bordeaux'', graduating in 1959. He was then sent to Mauritania, where he worked in the mobile hygiene service for three years. In 1963, he moved to French Polynesia. After working in the

Gambier Islands The Gambier Islands ( or ) are an archipelago in French Polynesia, located at the southeast terminus of the Tuamotu archipelago. They cover an area of , and are made up of the Mangareva Islands, a group of high islands remnants of a caldera al ...

, he joined the

Malardé Institute The Institut Louis-Malardé (ILM) is a medical research institution in Papeete, Tahiti, focused on public health research and epidemiological monitoring in French Polynesia. It was part of the international network of Pasteur Institutes. History Th ...

in 1967, leading their research on Ciguatera and becoming a leading expert on the disease. Bagnis retired from the institute in 1990. He then lectured at

French Pacific University The University of French Polynesia (french: Université de la Polynésie française) is a French university located in Puna'auia, French Polynesia. History Created by a decree of May 29, 1987, the university was originally called French Paci ...

, before returning to medical practice. In 1992 he founded the Proscience Te Turu ‘Ihi Association to promote science to the public, and played a strong role in its annual science festival. He finally retired in 2012. In June 2016 he was made a commander of the

Order of Tahiti Nui The Order of Tahiti Nui was established on 5 June 1996 by the Assembly of French Polynesia to reward distinguished merit and achievements in the service to French Polynesia. History The Order of Tahiti Nui was established June 5, 1996 by resolu ...

. In May 2019, following the resignation of Gilles Soubiran, he was appointed president of French Polynesia's Council of Physicians. Raymond Bagnis died on 19 July 2023, at the age of 91.

References

1932 births 2023 deaths People from Nice French physicians French Polynesian medical doctors Recipients of orders, decorations, and medals of French Polynesia {{FrenchPolynesia-bio-stub