The Humanitarian Hub was launched in 2017, initially to support migrants in transit through Brussels. Set up at the initiative of Médecins du Monde, it provided low-threshold services, including individual medical consultations, for people in situations of vulnerability, particularly those linked to migration and asylum. The Athena centre, established in 2014, focused more broadly on people experiencing poverty, homelessness or lacking access to a general practitioner. Over time, the profile of patients at the Hub evolved. Since 2022, a growing proportion have been newly arrived applicants for international protection who were not accommodated within the federal reception system, including facilities managed by Fedasil.

From April onwards, individual medical consultations at the Hub will no longer be available. Médecins du Monde states that the closure will remove one of the remaining entry points to primary healthcare for people without stable housing, without residence status or without a regular doctor. The organisation reports that between 2023 and 2025, on average 60% of patients were seeking international protection, while others included undocumented migrants, Belgian nationals, EU citizens and recognised refugees. In 2025, 82% of patients assisted by the organisation were sleeping either on the street (66%) or in homeless shelters (16%). Since 2021, more than 15.000 consultations have been delivered at the Hub.

The organisation has expressed concern that the end of these consultations may lead to increased reliance on hospital emergency departments. It argues that some individuals may delay seeking care until their condition deteriorates, potentially resulting in more complex and costly treatment. Médecins du Monde has called on the new Brussels government to restore and sustainably fund low-threshold access points to primary healthcare. Brussels authorities have not, at this stage, publicly responded to these statements.

For further details, please read this press release in French or in Dutch.