Providing medical care
In the event of a disaster or crisis, the country can always rely on our military hospital and its staff. Think of national disasters such as the Brussels attacks or the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our mission
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Being ready to care for citizens in medical emergencies is, quite literally, providing aid to the nation. Several of our medical centres are also open to the public, including you! This applies to the Burn Center, the Hyperbaric Center, and the Mobile Urgency Group (MUG). These facilities are located at our own hospital: the Queen Astrid Military Hospital in Neder-Over-Heembeek.
Background
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The military hospital also conducts research in cellular and molecular technology and rehabilitation. We do this not only for our own military personnel, but also for the benefit of society as a whole.
Our medical reservists carry out specialised part-time tasks in a military environment. In turn, they bring our values and military expertise into their civilian professional environments. This exchange benefits our soldiers when they receive treatment in the civilian sector.
Impact today
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In the event of a major crisis, we use our military resources primarily to support our own personnel. That is why we also work closely with the civil health sector. This guarantees a national resilience that is strong enough to absorb potentially large numbers of casualties and distribute them across multiple hospitals.
To this end, we regularly organise major exercises, symposia, workshops and training sessions together with the FPS Public Health and other relevant partners. We further strengthen national resilience by including courses in military medicine or war surgery into university curricula.
The Queen Astrid Military Hospital is preparing to transform into a true Medical Hub, a vital link in Belgium’s national crisis and disaster response.