Wallonia Restructures Healthcare to Prioritize Prevention

The Walloon government in Belgium is reorganizing its healthcare system to improve collaboration between health and social services at the local level. Minister of Health Yves Coppieters announced the launch of a pilot program establishing nine local health organizations (OLS) to anticipate and address specific population needs with a focus on preventative care.

This initiative, called iciSanté, builds on previous work and aims to create an operational framework for coordinated care by early 2028. The OLS will prioritize early childhood support, the “first thousand days”, and address the needs of an aging population, alongside chronic diseases, social isolation, mental health, and obesity.

The reform seeks to reduce wait times for medical appointments and improve care continuity. The public Walloon agency, AVIQ, expects the new model to offer citizens a unified experience and improve the quality of care. A key component will be proactive identification of vulnerable populations during events like heat waves, mobilizing local actors to protect those at risk.