A new online platform to report emergency services and hospitals in Brussels that fail to provide medical care in Dutch, including for eventual legal action, has been announced by the regional Flemish Government.
Emergency departments, medical emergency groups (MUG), and public hospitals in Brussels are legally required to be bilingual. However, this is not always practised.
To tackle this problem, the initiative is being led by the Flemish Popular Movement (VVB), the Flemish Association of Doctors (VAV), and the Flemish Committee for Brussels (VKB).
"Dutch speakers from the Flemish Periphery and Brussels have the right to receive care in their own language, especially in critical situations where every second counts. This is simply a human right," said the regional Minister for the Flemish Periphery, Ben Weyts (N-VA).
The new Flemish reporting point will be established to gather and analyse complaints. Importantly, legal action will be considered against hospitals that violate the legislation.
Weyts urged everyone to report the issues via an online platform."Hospitals that do not comply with the law and fail to respect essential human rights should be held accountable," the minister concluded.
"Despite our efforts to bring this issue to the political agenda, it has not gained the necessary traction. Therefore, we are switching tactics and will pursue legal action if necessary, starting with collecting complaints," said Weyts.
The Federal Government has committed in its coalition agreement to enforce the language law more strictly.
