News item | 29-06-2023 | 6:03 PM
The government is working on strengthening public healthcare in the field of infectious disease control, with the aim of being better prepared for the next pandemic. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport is investing €107 million this year in public health pandemic preparedness. This amount will continue to increase in the coming years. And from 2027, more than €136 million will be available annually for strengthening pandemic preparedness. In total, the government has structurally made €300 million available for pandemic preparedness. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport works together with RIVM, the GGDs and municipalities.
Strengthening infectious disease control by GGDs
Until 2027, the cabinet will invest a total of more than €190 million in strengthening infectious disease control at GGDs. From 2027 this will be structurally more than € 45 million. These investments are intended for capacity expansion. Additional data scientists, doctors and epidemiologists have already been hired this year. Money also goes to research and training.
National Function Upscaling Infectious Disease Control (LFI)
Since September 2022, the National Function Upscaling Infectious Disease Control (LFI) has been part of RIVM. The LFI is a new crisis organisation. The bill ‘Second tranche amendment to the Public Health Act’ provides that the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport can direct the Public Health Directors of GGDs via the LFI. The management is aimed at the medical-operational processes such as testing, vaccination and source and contact investigation in the event of an outbreak of an A infectious disease with a national impact. The LFI, together with the GGDs, ensures that a large outbreak can be scaled up quickly. The LFI also plays a central role in preparing for such a large-scale outbreak. From next year, the government will invest more than € 15 million in the LFI every year. This year the investment amounts to almost € 20 million.
Strengthening RIVM and chain partners
RIVM is essential in monitoring and supervising virus outbreaks, which is why this component will also be strengthened in the coming years. RIVM has the international contacts to quickly identify virus outbreaks and has the expertise on board to advise on an effective approach. Among other things, they strengthen the landscape of laboratories and monitoring and surveillance. This also contributes to pandemic preparedness in this way. Until 2027, the government will invest an average of more than €35 million per year, from 2027 this will be structurally more than €37 million.
Strengthening information provision and ICT infectious disease control
During the corona crisis, it became apparent that the current ICT systems did not always function properly. This mainly concerned problems in the field of privacy and completeness of data. That is why money is now being made available to further improve the systems. This leads to more efficient and reliable ICT. This is done in collaboration with the RIVM and the GGDs. Until 2027, the government will invest a total of more than €180 million in improving the ICT infrastructure. From 2027 this will be structurally € 38 million.