An Antwerp clinic dedicated to helping young people struggling with alcohol consumption will close its doors by summer 2025 after its funding request was denied by the Belgian government, De Standaard reported on Monday.
The University of Antwerp launched the clinic in May 2023, aiming to address the rising issue of alcohol poisoning among young people.
The clinic was designed as a pilot project, focused on providing support to those who find themselves in emergency care due to alcohol poisoning.
Researchers hoped to secure continued funding from the federal government to ensure the program’s sustainability, but their request was rejected.
The closure marks a significant blow to the University of Antwerp’s research efforts, as the chair supporting the project will also be dissolved.
The clinic had garnered attention for its innovative approach to tackling a critical public health issue, which had been largely overlooked in Belgium.
Dr. Hanna van Roozendaal, a leading researcher at the University of Antwerp, explained the importance of the clinic, noting that alcohol misuse among young people is a serious problem in the country.
“Young people who drink problematically are a significant issue in Belgium,” she said in an interview with De Standaard. “In the clinic, an emergency admission marks the start of a proven effective treatment,” she added.
The research conducted at the clinic highlighted that the number of alcohol poisonings among young people in Belgium is likely being underestimated.
The clinic’s primary goal was to monitor and treat young patients who had suffered from alcohol poisoning, offering them immediate care and long-term support.
The success of similar clinics in the Netherlands has been a key part of the clinic’s model. In the Netherlands, twelve such clinics have been established, and the number of young people readmitted with alcohol poisoning has reportedly dropped to nearly zero.
Dr. van Roozendaal had hoped to replicate that success in Belgium, but with the clinic’s closure, that will no longer be possible.
Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke’s spokesperson confirmed to De Standaard that the government would not provide funding for the clinic.
However, the spokesperson also stated that an alternative program aimed at addressing alcohol misuse among young people has already been put in place.
Details about this new initiative remain limited, but it is unclear whether it will offer the same comprehensive services as the clinic.
The closure of the clinic has sparked concerns from health professionals and researchers, who worry that the growing issue of alcohol abuse among Belgian youth may not be adequately addressed without targeted support like that provided by the Antwerp clinic.
While the alternative program may offer some assistance, its effectiveness in reducing alcohol-related harm among young people remains to be seen.
The clinic’s closure will leave a significant gap in the country’s efforts to combat alcohol misuse among the youth population, with many experts calling for more focused and sustainable approaches to the issue.
