The cabinet makes 177 million euros available annually to better prepare the Netherlands for the next pandemic or major health crisis. Minister Sophie Hermans of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) informed the House of Representatives on Friday about the plans, which arise from the spring decision-making.
The money comes after continued pressure from the House of Representatives. Due to budget cuts, the Schoof cabinet canceled the Pandemic Preparedness plan, for which 300 million euros had been made available. In the coalition agreement, the Jetten cabinet did not reverse these cuts, to strong criticism from MPs.
After the corona pandemic, all reports concluded that the Netherlands not prepared had been on a long-term, nationwide health crisis. Schools closed, sports were halted and the economy was hit hard. To prevent a recurrence, the government is now making structural money available in the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport budget.
The money is intended for a broad package of measures. For example, strengthening the GGD is planned, so that the extra capacity in the field of infection prevention can be maintained. The immune surveillance and diagnostics of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) can be strengthened with this budget. RIVM wants to limit infections by conducting surveillance on infections among the population – for example via sewage water. But building up strategic stocks of medical countermeasures, such as vaccines and diagnostic tests, is also planned.
The change in approach is striking. The government decides to no longer treat pandemic preparedness as a separate policy program. Instead, it will be embedded in regular VWS policy. A previously promised final evaluation of the former pandemic preparedness policy program will now not take place.
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