Zennevallei (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Zennevallei, Pajottenland, and Halle launch the “Use Care, with Care” campaign with website SteerIGoToDoctor.be to guide residents to appropriate healthcare and reduce unnecessary visits, says Barbara Vanheule.
As VRT News reported, the regions of Zennevallei, Pajottenland, and Halle, in the province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium, have started a new campaign to address the shortage of general practitioners. The project is called “Use Care, with Care.” It is a joint effort by the Zennevallei Primary Care Zone, the Zennevallei Medical Association, the Pajottenland Primary Care Zone, the Pajottenland General Practitioners Association, and Sint-Maria Halle AZ.
How will “Use Care, with Care” help Zennevallei, Pajottenland, and Halle residents?
According to officials, doctors in the area are facing heavy workloads and longer waiting times. The campaign encourages people to use healthcare services wisely. Residents will receive information through printed materials, local outreach, and online communication.
“With this campaign, we want to better inform people so that we can keep healthcare more accessible for those who truly need it,”
explains Vanheule.
“We’re doing this with the help of the website Moetiknaardedokter.be. “
Vanheule says the campaign is a reliable guide for residents on when to see a doctor.
“The website asks several questions about your symptoms, and based on the answers, you’ll receive personalised care advice. In serious cases, the website will refer you to a general practitioner or the emergency room.”
“In our region, we’re facing one of the largest general practitioner shortages in Flanders,”
confirm Liesbeth Devreker of the Zennevallei Medical Association and Lieselot De Tant of the Pajottenland Medical Association.
“The average age of general practitioners is quite high, which means the shortage will only worsen in the coming years.”
“We are facing one of the largest shortages of general practitioners in Flanders.”
Liesbeth Devreker from the Zennevallei Medical Association and Lieselot De Tant from the Pajottenland Medical Association
Emergency departments in the region are feeling the effects of unnecessary visits. Dr Colin Cordemans of AZ Sint-Maria Halle says,
“We are seeing more and more patients in the emergency room who could actually be treated by a general practitioner. We are helping everyone as best we can, but this influx is creating extra pressure and longer waiting times.”
The “Use Care, with Care” campaign will run from November 12, 2025, until the end of January 2026 in the Zennevallei region. The Pajottenland region will start the initiative in 2026. Organisers say the campaign will reduce unnecessary visits to hospitals.
Belgium has launched several public health campaigns in the past to guide people in using medical services properly. In 2017, a nationwide campaign warned residents about the excessive use of antibiotics, urging them to take medicine only when necessary. In 2023, another initiative focused on the responsible use of psychotropic drugs, advising doctors, pharmacists, and psychologists.
