Unlike in Flanders, Wallonia is set to continue to grant bonuses to young doctors if they set themselves up in an area with a shortage of medical professionals, Walloon Minister of Health, Christie Morreale, announced on Tuesday in the committee of the Walloon parliament.
The total budget for these subsidies and bonuses is estimated at roughly €11.5 million for 2023.
“The number of Impulseo I awards granted has increased considerably since AViQ (Walloon Agency for a Quality Life) took over the scheme. The sample applies to the number of subsidies granted within the framework of the Impulseo II scheme (interventions for the salary costs of an employee of the GP) and II (interventions for the cost of recourse to services),” specified the minister.
In 2020, Flanders decided to abolish its own Impulseo bonuses, which provided incentives for medical staff to move into areas with low medical density. However, Wallonia's large areas, especially rural ones, are particularly poorly serviced.
Related News
- Wallonia to spend €35 million to improve regional healthcare
- Strabismus screening for infants increasingly advised by experts
Entire communities in Wallonia are left without GPs and other medical procedures, forcing some sick people to drive considerable distances for routine appointments.
“Given the needs encountered in the field and the positive evaluation of the system, Wallonia wishes to continue it, unlike Flanders,” Moreale added.
