Belgium: Country Health Profile 2021

Abstract

HighlightsThe health status of the Belgian people has improved since 2000.People live longer, although large disparities by gender and socioeconomic group remain.The Belgian health system performs well in saving the lives of people requiring acute care.One of the main challenges is to strengthen prevention and primary care to achieve further gains in population health and reduce health inequalities.Life expectancy at birth was 81.1 years in 2015, up from 77.9 years in 2000 and remains above the EU average.Most of these gains in life expectancy were driven by reductions in mortality rates after age 65.However, at age 65, Belgian women can expect to live only about 50% of their remaining years of life free of disability and men about 60%.Health status 81.1 YEARS 2000 81 82 83 80 79 78 77 2015Health spending in Belgium increased steadily over the past 10 years and is higher than in most EU countries.In 2015, Belgium spent EUR 3 568 per capita on health care, compared to the EU average of EUR 2 797.This equals 10.5% of the Belgian GDP, up from 9.0% in 2005, and above the EU average of 9.9%.Public spending accounts for 77% of overall health spending (close to the EU average).Most of the remaining spending is paid directly out-of-pocket by households. EffectivenessAmenable mortality in Belgium is lower than in most EU countries, indicating that the health care system is effective in treating people requiring acute care.

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