The Vivalia 2030 healthcare project for the Luxembourg province is “no longer a theoretical debate,” according to a recent statement by Pascal Mertens, Director General of the Vivalia intercommunal healthcare organization. The assertion came as the project faces continued scrutiny regarding its impact on the hospital in Marche-en-Famenne.
Mertens, speaking on February 14, 2026, emphasized the advanced stage of the project and its vital importance to the region, stating that the province has “too long suffered from a penalizing dispersal of hospital services.” He dismissed suggestions that the project could be partially dismantled based on preliminary reactions, characterizing such proposals as an “effect of announcement.”
However, Mertens acknowledged the necessitate to address concerns surrounding the potential construction of a new hospital within a 25-minute radius of Marche-en-Famenne. He stressed that Vivalia welcomes strategic questions, believing they strengthen rather than weaken the project, particularly given the fluidity of patient flows across provincial boundaries.
The primary risk, Mertens argued, is not a mandated closure of the Marche-en-Famenne hospital, but rather difficulties in recruitment, strains on on-call schedules, and a resulting decline in its attractiveness to medical professionals. He indicated that securing a specific exemption or “derogation” would be a significant political signal, but cautioned that it must be accompanied by a clear and well-defined strategy.
According to a LinkedIn post from February 5, 2026, Mertens presented the Vivalia 2030 project and its implications for healthcare in the province to the Lions Club Bastogne Nuts City. The presentation aimed to clarify the project’s scope, strategic importance, and potential impact on patients, healthcare workers, and the local territory.
Vivalia’s plans, as outlined in a document released in June 2025, involve a network of “proxiclinics” complementing existing hospital facilities, including a regional hospital under construction in Arlon, a psychiatric hospital in Bertrix, and the acute care hospital in Marche-en-Famenne. These proxiclinics are intended to provide localized, accessible care, focusing on activities not requiring the full resources of a major hospital.
Mertens, in comments reported by TVLux on June 13, 2025, described the proxiclinic initiative as a “real rationalization” of healthcare services. He explained that the proxiclinics will offer a common base of services but will also be tailored to local needs.
The future of the hospital in Marche remains a key consideration. Mertens suggested that proactively assessing the impact of the planned Achêne facility on Marche-en-Famenne is preferable to fostering doubt, and will help ensure a stable future for medical services in the region. He emphasized the need to prioritize a robust, attractive, and sustainable medical infrastructure for the residents of Luxembourg province.
