The shortage of doctors is improving in Belgium but is not yet completely solved. In Wallonia, 132 municipalities, or nearly one municipality in two, are still experiencing a shortage. In Belgium, it is estimated that there is still a shortage of 360 general practitioners.
The shortages mainly concern rural communes.
"We are three doctors for a population of 3,000 inhabitants in Trois-Ponts but in rural areas, we are not limited to the municipality in which our practice is located," says Alberto Parada, a general practitioner in Trois-Pont de Garde in Grand-Halleux. "We also have residents who live in very remote communes."
And this impacts the time doctors have to spend with their patients.
"If I am in Brussels and I have to see five patients, I will have seen them easily in the afternoon since I will move very little. On the other hand, in rural areas, the time needed to see these five patients will be multiplied by five or ten since there can be journeys between them of up to 40 minutes."
Related News
- Over 100 asylum seekers sleeping on street outside reception centre
- 'I help women in need, no one can blame me': Belgian abortion workers share their views
In an attempt to attract new doctors, municipalities such as Lierneux are building new medical centres. Despite these efforts, applications are scarce.
"I think we should force young doctors to come and do an internship in rural areas, in the countryside, to realise that it's actually not so bad," reacts the mayor of Lierneux, André Samray.
But there is another problem. This year, only 333 new students are admitted to medical school and these young people will not all end up as general practitioners.
