The MR group in the Chamber, driven by federal MP Daniel Bacquelaine, is calling for urgent and coordinated mobilisation to fight cardiovascular disease, which is among the leading causes of death in Belgium.
Every year 30,000 Belgians die from cardiovascular disease, while 750,000 live with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). This situation costs society more than €5 billion. Yet 14% of high-risk patients do not receive adequate monitoring, and 1 in 300 Belgians has a genetic form of ASCVD, often detected too late.
To raise further awareness in society, the resolution proposed by MP Daniel Bacquelaine has just been adopted unanimously in the health committee.
“If we don't act now, the long-term consequences will be dramatic: a silent epidemic could emerge within 20 to 30 years, with unsustainable human and financial costs,” warns Daniel Bacquelaine.
The resolution builds on a round table held on 20 October 2022 and cardiovascular risk factor testing carried out on 15 June 2023. It summarises the key demands made by experts in the medical field.
Among the 19 recommendations are:
- Developing a national plan against cardiovascular disease, inspired by the Cancer Plan, with particular attention to ASCVD;
- Improving the collection of official data on cardiovascular disease, which is currently inadequate;
- Developing systematic screening strategies, in particular through support for GPs and pharmacists;
- Introducing practical tools to identify at-risk patients and optimise their care.
Under the previous legislature, favourable opinions had already been issued by the Belgian Cardiac League and Absym. These recommendations remain more relevant than ever, as highlighted by the recent awareness campaign organised during Heart Week last September.
In Belgium, 30 people suffer a cardiac arrest every day, but only 15% of citizens know how to respond. “This gap between the severity of the situation and the lack of public training is unacceptable. Survival rates after cardiac arrest in our country are among the lowest in Europe. France and the Netherlands show that an ambitious national strategy can make a real difference. Prevention and management of cardiovascular disease must also become a priority here,” concludes Daniel Bacquelaine.