Brussels (VNA) – Madame Ngo Phuong Ly, spouse of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam, visited and encouraged children undergoing treatment at Brussels’s Queen Fabiola Children’s University Hospital (HUDERF) on October 22 (local time), during their official visit to the European Union and Belgium.
Hospital managers briefed Madame Ly on its functions, size and pediatric care. HUDERF, part of the Brussels University Hospital (HUB) network, was founded in 1986 and named after Fabiola, then Belgium’s Queen. It is one of the country’s leading centres for comprehensive, advanced pediatric research and treatment.
She praised the hospital’s approach after hearing from doctors and seeing it firsthand, noting that nurturing children’s emotional well-being and psychological resilience is treated as no less important than medical care.
For children with autism, HUDERF prioritises early intervention. Those aged 18 months to 4 years receive intensive play-based therapy under the Early Start Denver Model. The hospital also runs a day treatment unit for parents and young children, and a therapeutic nursery for children aged two and a half to six years old.
The Robert Dubois School, run by the city of Brussels, operates inside the hospital and serves patients aged two and a half to 21 years old. It works closely with the therapeutic nursery so that education and treatment proceed in parallel, meaning hospital stays don’t interrupt schooling.
Families are treated as part of the care. A residence for parents, about 50m from the main entrance, lets them stay close to their children. Doctors and staff also coach parents on how to support their kids, so no child goes through treatment alone.
At a subsequent working session, Prof. Véronique Delvenne, Head of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at HUB, said the hospital has run two three-year cooperation programmes with Vietnam since 2022. Hue Central Hospital is the main partner, with the National Children’s Hospital also joining.
The partnership helped the Pediatrics Centre at Hue Central Hospital set up an autism unit with dedicated space for tailored early intervention. The hospital also opened an inpatient unit for adolescents, led by a psychiatrist trained in Brussels. Psychoeducation courses and training gave parents added skills to support their children. Two Vietnamese healthcare workers are currently interning at HUDERF.
The Vietnamese guest said the visit gives her a better understanding of Belgium’s experience in pediatric health care, a priority area for Vietnam.
She said HUDERF’s model deserves wider adoption and acknowledged the practical results of its work with Vietnamese partners. She expressed her hope that the hospital and its Belgian partners will keep expanding cooperation with Vietnamese healthcare facilities, so more children receive care grounded in both professional expertise and compassion./.
VNA
See more
Lawmakers push to tie FDI incentives to technology transfer, output
National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man, in group discussions, set out three principles of making it as easy as possible for lawful investors without loosening legal discipline, giving officials more room to act without blurring lines of authority, and expanding targeted incentives and support while keeping resources under control and results measurable.
Polish Prime Minister visits Hoi An Ancient Town
Following the commemorative ceremony, Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the delegation strolled along the ancient town’s streets, visited several cultural and historical sites, and enjoyed artistic performances held in their honour.
People-to-people diplomacy helps strengthen Vietnam–Czech Republic ties
Czech Ambassador to Vietnam Lukas Kaucky commended the friendship association's people-to-people diplomatic activities, which have helped strengthen the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
Top Vietnamese leader's policy speech at Egmont Institute of Belgium
General Secretary and President To Lam expressed his hope that from this hall at the Egmont Institute, European policymakers and scholars will come to see Vietnam as a “trusted partner” and a “strategic link” connecting the continents of Asia and Europe.
Top Vietnamese leader meets with Belgian Senate Speaker, House President
The host leaders described the Belgian House of Representatives' approval of the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) as tangible evidence of the two countries’ determination and potential to expand economic, trade and investment cooperation.
General Secretary, President To Lam receives Minister-President of Belgium's Flanders
The top leader called on Flanders to support the early elevation of Vietnam–Belgium relations to a strategic partnership, take a pioneering role in promoting economic cooperation, encourage businesses to expand investment in Vietnam, and back the completion of ratification and effective implementation of the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
Vietnamese, Belgian leaders agree to enhance multifaceted collaboration
The two sides agreed to further strengthen political trust, maintain exchanges and better understand each other’s concerns and needs, with a view to expanding cooperation and elevating ties to a new level.
Top leader gives policy speech in Brussels, sharing vision for Vietnam–EU ties
General Secretary and President To Lam described the Vietnam–Belgium relationship as the most vivid testament to the depth of the Vietnam–EU partnership, proposing several areas for breakthrough strategic cooperation in the coming period.
Polish PM arrives in Da Nang, beginning official visit to Vietnam
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's official visit to Vietnam comes as bilateral ties are in an especially strong phase, with conditions in place to move to a higher level. It offers a chance to push practical economic, trade and investment cooperation, improve market access and clear barriers to goods from both sides.
Vietnamese leaders extend sympathies over serious earthquake in Tibet, China
The earthquake struck Baqing county, Nagqu city, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China on the evening of October 22, causing heavy losses of life and property.
Vietnam rotates two officers to UN peacekeeping missions in Abyei, South Sudan
Sen. Lt. Col. Nguyen My Hanh, an English-language lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages at the Military Academy of Logistics, will replace Lt. Col. Nguyen Van Thu as senior training staff officer at UNISFA; and Capt. Truong Tan Huy, a logistics assistant at Battalion 871 of Brigade 954 under Naval Region 4 of the Vietnam People’s Navy, will take over from Maj. Le Vinh Hoang as a military observer at UNMISS.
Vietnamese peacekeeping units successfully complete UN missions
Vietnam's Engineering Unit Rotation 4 and Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 7 have succesfully completed their UN peacekeeping missions, heard a hybrid conference hosted by the Ministry of National Defence on October 23.
Belgian Prime Minister hosts welcome ceremony for Vietnam’s top leader
Belgium attaches importance to its relationship with Vietnam, values the country’s economic development and has made positive contributions to Vietnam’s development through development cooperation programmes. The two countries have also actively coordinated at multilateral forums, particularly the United Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the ASEAN-EU framework.
Top Vietnamese leader meets with Belgian King and Queen
Belgium places great importance on the relationship and stays ready to support Vietnam in reaching its sustainable development goals, said Belgian King Philippe.
Vietnam to make more active, responsible contributions to UN efforts: PM
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung said Vietnam always attaches importance to the UN’s central, irreplaceable role in global governance, and praised the broad, substantive gains in cooperation since Vietnam joined the bloc almost 50 years ago.
Culture, people-to-people diplomacy strengthen ASEAN solidarity
Culture helps us recognise one another. People-to-people diplomacy brings us closer, while connections between people help strengthen the resilience of the ASEAN Community.
☕ Afternoon briefing on October 23
The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.
Special lawmaking mechanisms must not become the norm: NA President
National Assembly (NA) President Tran Thanh Man has stressed that special and emergency lawmaking mechanisms must remain exceptional, warning against allowing them to undermine the legal system’s discipline and stability.
Polish PM’s Vietnam visit to strengthen bilateral ties: Ambassador
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s upcoming official visit to Vietnam would help identify areas with the greatest potential for cooperation, including education, trade, culture, people-to-people exchanges and coordination at international forums.
Lawmakers discuss four bills on finance, budget, investment
Presenting the Government’s submission on the draft consolidated Law on the State Budget, Finance Minister Ngo Van Tuan said the draft law is based on the structure and layout of the 2025 Law on the State Budget.