Brussels and Walloon doctors are calling on the federal government again to involve them in the coronavirus vaccination campaign, various media reported on Tuesday.
"With 4,000 general practitioners in Wallonia and 1,000 in the Brussels region, we represent an enormous strike force," said Guy Delrée, president of the Federation of Walloon general practitioners' circles.
"We don't want to replace the vaccination centres, which are very useful, but we want to come, in addition. Allowing vaccinations in our practices or medical homes will speed up the campaign and will also give confidence to the most hesitant patients,” Delrée added.
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According to Michel De Volder, President of the Federation of Associations of General Practitioners in Brussels, it is "incomprehensible" that the federal government is not providing them with doses of vaccine.
All the more so as AstraZeneca and the future Johnson & Johnson vaccines can be stored in conventional refrigerators, so there is no logistical obstacle.
"The Federal government says no because of the cost," De Volder said, "because in our offices there will be the price of the consultation, largely reimbursed by Inami,” which is the National Institute for Sickness and Invalidity Insurance.
“But this is a miscalculation on the part of the government. Because by dragging its feet on the vaccination, more people will be hospitalised and admitted to intensive care,” he explained.
Belgium's health ministers are set to re-evaluate the Covid-19 vaccination strategy on Wednesday, as "there are kinks in the system that need to be resolved," according to federal health minister Frank Vandenbroucke.
As of 2 March, a total of 495,090 people in Belgium have received the first dose of their vaccinations, or 5.37% of the population aged 18 and older. In addition, 307,749 people have been fully vaccinated.
The Brussels Times
