Belgium state visit to Health2B
Monday June 17th 2024, Health2B had the honour of hosting HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium and the Belgian Economic Mission, as part of the Belgium&Norway Life Science Day; Exploring the future of health and biotech, arranged in Forskningsparken – Oslo Science Park and including multiple stakeholders from the thriving health innovation ecosystem in Oslo Science City.
During the visit to Health2B, HRH and her delegation were presented with initiatives, research and technology to help foster innovation and enable us to to work smarter and more efficient in healthcare and capitalize on all the technological innovations that are rapidly being developed.
Head of the Health2B Elen Høeg outlined the Health2B vision to cocreate our future healthcare system by strengthening partnerships across and within sectors. Through bringing together need owners – hospitals and municipalities – with those developing technology and services – at an early stage, Health2B enables more targeted and faster development and adoption of technology.
Michael Eimstad, CEO of EpiGuard, presented the award-winning design, EpiShuttle, an isolation unit designed for quick and easy transport of highly infectious and vulnerable patients developed as the result of public-private partnership.
The Circle U. consortium, in which both the University of Oslo and UCLouvain are part, was presented by Didier Lambert, Rector UCLouvain, Amélie Jacquemin (UCLouvain) and Markus Bugge (UiO). One of the main objectives of Circle U. is to increase students’ engagement in innovation approaches to sustainability through interdisciplinary, research- and challenge-based courses and programmes that involve partners from civil society, businesses and the public sector. HRH subsequently got the opportunity to meet with Norwegian and Belgian students and researchers.
Finally, Jon Amund Kyte from Oslo University Hospital presented on his work on breast cancer within the European clinical trial network, Oncodistinct.
In addition to HRH, the 30+ persons delegation included Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade, and the Federal Cultural Institutions, Jan Bayart, Ambassador of Belgium in Norway, Pascale Delcomminette, CEO, Wallonia export and investment agency, Dr. Didier Lambert, Rector of UCLouvain, Jørn GLOSLIE, Ambassador of Norway to the Kingdom of Belgium and Dr. Per Morten Sandset, Vice Rector UiO.
