The new edition of “Tournée Minérale”, an initiative to go the entire month without alcohol consumption, starts on 1 February.
Approximately one and a half million Belgians take part each year, and on average, they reduce their consumption by 20% for up to six months after the campaign.
This year, the campaign emphasises the crucial role that GPs play in reducing the “treatment gap” for alcohol-related issues, which is the difference between patients suffering from alcohol-related disorders and those receiving appropriate care.
According to Univers Santé, 20-25% of adult patients visiting general practitioners misuse alcohol, but only 8% of those dependent receive help.
“Alcohol misuse exposes individuals to over 200 diseases, not to mention social harms such as sexual and domestic violence and poverty, which general practitioners often encounter,” said Martin de Duve, director of Univers Santé and an alcohol specialist.
Alcohol is the second leading cause of preventable death in Belgium, behind tobacco, with nearly 10,000 deaths annually. This accounts for 10% of total mortality.
Tournée Minérale was initiated by the Foundation Against Cancer in 2017 and has been led by Univers Santé since 2020.
