Institution
The only Belgian hospital dedicated to paediatric medicine
The Queen Fabiola Children's University Hospital (HUDERF) is the only Belgian university hospital dedicated solely to medical care for children: everything here is designed in the interests of the children and their parents. The HUDERF provides children with comprehensive medical care, from birth to adolescence. Every effort is made to ensure their well-being, development and fulfilment in society. As a medical and surgical hospital that includes a research and teaching mission, the HUDERF guarantees quality care in the context of leading edge medicine that is accessible to all.
Since 2021, the Queen Fabiola Children's University Hospital has been a part of the Brussels University Hospital (H.U.B), alongside the Jules Bordet Institute and the Erasmus Hospital. Thanks to this grouping, initiated by the City of Brussels and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), this major hospital complex is today the ULB's university hospital. In bringing together three renowned hospitals, the H.U.B is able to guarantee high quality care accessible to all combined with excellence in teaching and research.
The Patient's Interests, Team Spirit, Commitment, Solidarity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Free Enquiry are the values on which the Brussels University Hospital is founded.
The HUDERF in figures
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Our history
As a university centre, the Children's Hospital brings together specialists in the various fields of medical care for children and adolescents and is the ULB's principal site of academic activity for paediatric medicine. Research and numerous internships in medical and paramedical disciplines in the treatment of children and young people are organised at the hospital. There is extensive medical and scientific cooperation with other Belgian and foreign hospitals and universities. It is also a hospital that is continuously evolving to better serve and welcome the growing number of families who have recourse to its expertise.
Discover the history of the Children's Hospital :
- 1986: Inauguration of the Queen Fabiola Children's University Hospital, an initiative of Professor Robert Dubois, on the same site as the Brugmann Hospital. The HUDERF has 150 beds and treats 17 000 outpatients.
- 1989: Arrival of the Robert Dubois School at the Children's Hospital to guarantee continuous training in caring for hospitalised children.
- 1991: Creation of the association “Amis de l’HUDERF” or Kid’s Care. This is dedicated to promoting the well-being and humanizing the reception of sick children and their families and also contributes to the quality of care.
- 1995: Creation of the association “Belgian Kids Fund for Pediatric Research” (BKF) that promotes research in paediatrics. That same year the hospital also becomes the principal site of academic activity in paediatrics of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB).
- 1997: The HUDERF becomes an independent hospital while retaining a number of departments operated jointly with the Brugmann Hospital.
- Early 2000s: A reception centre is set up above the Robert Dubois School. This enables parents to remain close to their hospitalised child and thereby maintain the close parent-child relationship that is so important during treatment.
- March 2019: Inauguration of the new Professor Henri Vis building. He was the successor to Professor Dubois and increased the hospital surface area by one third with a new operating theatre, emergency department, child psychiatry hospitalisation unit, an autism unit for early individualised care and a parents-baby unit.
- End of 2021: Grouping of the Children's Hospital with the Jules Bordet Institute and the Erasmus Hospital to form the H.U.B.