Emergency Healthcare in Belgium

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Follow our page : Namaste Belgium

IMPORTANT RESOURCES

Being prepared for emergencies is key to navigating healthcare in a new country. This guide will equip you, the expat in Belgium, with the knowledge to tackle urgent medical situations.

Laying the groundwork:

  • Multuality Insurance: Subscribe to a Belgian health insurance mutuality (mutualité/mutualiteit). This helps cover medical costs and ensures access to quality healthcare.
    • https://www.partenamut.be/fr
    • https://www.cm.be/nl
  • Register with a GP: Upon arrival, register with a local general practitioner (GP) (huisarts/médecin généraliste) for non-urgent consultations. All mutuality have list of available GP’s in your region.

Register with a mutuality & GP as you arrive and get settled

Weekend Medical Needs:

If you fall sick during the weekend and your GP is unavailable, several options exist:

  • Out-of-hours GP services: If you need GP during weekend or in the night you can always call a doctor home using the watch dog services – Here is the website . You can call the doctor by dialing 02 20122 (discuss the cost on call its usually not extremely expensive)

Emergency Situations (Hospitals):

  • Hospitals: For emergencies, head to the nearest hospital’s accident and emergency department (spoedeisende hulp/urgence). In Brussels, you can also call the Red Cross ambulance at 105.
  • Emergency Numbers: Always remember the emergency numbers: 100 for ambulance and 112 for fire and police.

Nighttime/Weekend Pharmacies:

While most pharmacies have regular hours, a select few operate late nights or weekends. Look for pharmacies with a night shift sign (“service de garde”). Find all details here – https://www.apotheek.be

Staying Informed:

Consult your local municipality or embassy for a comprehensive list of weekend GP services and night pharmacies. This ensures you have the most up-to-date information readily available.pen_spark

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