Central

 The central government is responsible for:

• The basic legislation on health care;
• The basic legislation on policies for handicapped people;
• The legislation on hospitals, homes for the elderly, psychiatric institutions, health & invalidity insurance, recognition of pharmaceuticals;
• Compulsory health insurance;
• Rules for medical, nursing and paramedical professions;
• Social security and invalidity benefits;
• The Agency for security of the food chain, and
• The provision of a legal framework for health education. Financing hospitals and large medical care units;
• Health promotion;

Regional

 There is no genuine regional competency in the field of public health. However, regions have competencies in related policy fields (e.g. environment, control of businesses).

Communities
Communities’ authorities are responsible for:

• The drafting and application of national law;
• The formulation and implementation of policy on public health care services;
• Running the hospitals and provide public health care (also for people with disabilities);
• The policy towards invalids and elderly people (except for federal competencies);
• Public health education and disease prevention;
  
  

The policy for providing health care has been transferred by the French Community to the Walloon Region (except for university hospitals, which come under the French Community).

Local ​

Provinces/Municipalities
Local authorities are responsible for: 

• General principle of local self-administration;
• Health education and preventive medicine are the responsibility of the communes;
• Public welfare services, including psychological aid and medical corps, and
• The administrative control of public hospitals.

(Flemish provinces no longer have this competence as of 01/01/2018)

Responsible ministries/bodies

Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment FPS/FOD

Sources

Constitution of Belgium (Constitution belge texte coordonné du 17 février 1994). In particular Art. 128, 130 and 138

Centre for socio-political research and information (CRISP) (Centre de cherche et d'information socio-politique) section Public Authorities in Wallonia

Decree of the French Community (19 July 1993) relating to the transfer of the exercise of certain competences of the French Community to the Walloon Region (Décret de la Communauté française du 19 juillet 1993 relatif au transfert de l'exercice de certaines compétences de la Communauté française á la région wallonne et á la commission communautaire française). In particular, Art. 3, indent 6

Law of Institutional Reform for the German Community (Loi de réformes institutionnelles pour la Communauté germanophone (31 décembre 1983)). In particular Art. 4, paragraph 2

Special law of Institutional Reform (Loi Spéciale de réformes institutionnelles du 8 Août 1980). In particular Art.. 5, paragraph 1, indent I

The French Speaking Community (Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles)

The Health Care System in Belgium, RIZIV

Health System Review, Belgium, European Observatory, 2010

COVID-19 - Main source of information

The main source of information on the federal level is: https://www.info-coronavirus.be/

Other sources of info:

The Regions:

• Flanders: 

https://www.vlaanderen.be/vlaamse-maatregelen-tijdens-de-coronacrisis

• Wallonia: 

https://www.wallonie.be/fr/actualites/coronavirus-covid-19-mesures-regionales

• Brussels:

https://coronavirus.brussels/index.php/nl/

The Communities:

• Flemish Community > vlaanderen.be (competencies of Region and Community are merged)

• French community: 

http://www.federation-wallonie-bruxelles.be/index.php?id=297

• German speaking community:

http://www.ostbelgienlive.be/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-6736/10885_read-60167/

+other sources of info on the federal level:

• https://www.health.belgium.be/en (federal public service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment)
• https://centredecrise.be/fr
• FPS Economy www.economie.fgov.be
• FPS Foreign Affairs www.diplomatie.belgium.be

Strategic and policy-making bodies for decision-making

Since the start of this pandemic, the political authorities have taken decisions based on the recommendations of the health experts in this field.

• The National Security Council (NSC), which essentially consists of the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Ministers, has been extended to include the Ministers-President of the Regions and Communities. This collegiate body takes the policy decisions for managing the crisis.