112 is not profitable in some areas. This is the case for the emergency services in Libramont and Ampsin. The Red Cross announces the closure of these two medical posts by the end of the year.
It is the incomprehension and concern for the staff of 112, who demonstrated in front of the offices of the Belgian Red Cross. The Board of Directors is planning an extensive cost reduction plan.
“We would like to meet the administration committee so that they can explain to us the ins and outs of the future of all the services of the Red Cross”, declares Bruno Buyoya, Setca delegate to the “ambulances” service. “If we amputate today on the 112, what will it be tomorrow?”
First decision: two centers will close on December 31, in Libramont and Ampsin, in the province of Liège. Impossible to do otherwise according to the management.
“It’s quite simply because the public authorities are underfunding this transport 112. We are working completely in deficit. We don’t even cover the direct costs of these departures 112”, explains Nancy Ferroni, spokesperson for the Belgian Red Cross.
Since this morning, the Libramont center has been on a symbolic strike. Roland has been an ambulance rescuer since 2001. “From the moment we talk regarding profitable and unprofitable, it means that we complain that the population does not get sick enough or do not have enough accidents”he believes.
The end of the center was announced yesterday to the 8 members of staff and the twenty volunteers.
“For us, it’s a shock because we didn’t expect it at all. We invested here in buildings. We received new uniforms”, says Christine, transport referent 112 in Libramont.
1000 assignments per year. A deficit of 250,000 euros. Here are the figures that justify this closure. Romain already warns of the consequences of such a decision.
“We have for example a case, last week. A person down the street had a cardiac arrest and the ambulance was on the scene in less than two minutes. For the same situation on January 1st, the person may have to having to wait 20 minutes before having the ambulance”, he points out.
Other centers in Wallonia might close due to a lack of sufficient public health funding.
