B-FAST-veldhospitaal officieel erkend door Wereldgezondheidsorganisatie

B-FAST-veldhospitaal officieel erkend door Wereldgezondheidsorganisatie

B-FAST’s field hospital officially certified by the World Health Organisation jeroen.francois Fri, 09/18/2026 - 18:37 Press release B-FAST Diplomatic map September 18, 2026 Image B-FAST’s Type 2 Emergency Medical Team (EMT2) field hospital has officially received international certification from the World Health Organisation (WHO) this Friday 18 September. An independent assessment confirms that the field hospital meets the highest international quality standards. The field hospital is now part of the international network of emergency medical teams recognised by the WHO. It can therefore be deployed rapidly when a natural disaster, crisis or health emergency places a heavy strain on local health services. This certification process takes into account various medical and logistical criteria. Among other things, it guarantees to countries requesting assistance that the field hospital can be operational within 24 to 48 hours of its arrival in the country. During a mission, the field hospital is managed by a multidisciplinary team comprising 90 volunteers and experts. These include medical staff and logistics experts who work in hospitals or companies on a day-to-day basis. More than 100 patients can be treated each day in the outpatient clinic, and up to 15 operations can be carried out in the operating theatre. The hospital also has its own pharmacy, a maternity ward, a trauma unit, a paediatric unit and radiology equipment, enabling it to offer a wide range of services. As a partner within B-FAST, the FPS Public Health was responsible for the development and expansion of the hospital and for preparing for certification. It counted to this end on the assistance of the other B-FAST partners and the dedication of the many B-FAST volunteers. Over the past few days, dozens of experts, partners and volunteers took part in a large-scale exercise during which the entire field hospital was set up and tested at the Peutie military base. This final step formed an essential part of the WHO verification process. It was also an opportunity to train all volunteers for a future mission. The success of this evaluation is a testament to the professionalism, expertise and commitment of all the departments and organisations involved. WHO verification is more than just a quality label. It ensures that Belgium can provide medical assistance quickly and efficiently in international emergencies within an internationally coordinated framework. The EMT2 team thus contributes to an effective response and strengthens Belgium’s role as a reliable partner in the field of international solidarity and crisis response. B-FAST (Belgian First Aid and Support Team) is the federal government structure activated for emergency aid abroad and comprises the FPS Home Affairs, the FPS Policy and Support (BOSA), the FPS Public Health, the Ministry of Defence and the FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, with the Prime Minister’s Office also being involved. Keep up-to-date Subscribe to our newsletters to stay informed about the activities of our FPS Our spokespersons Florinda Baleci florinda.baleci@diplobel.fed.be Maxime Ramon maxime.ramon@diplobel.fed.be Social Media Hide all social media Show all social media