News item | 26-10-2023 | 15:15
Over the past two years, the government has worked to better prepare the Netherlands for a pandemic. With the Pandemic Preparedness program, Minister Kuipers wants to reduce the risk of a possible pandemic and limit the social, economic and health consequences. With the progress letter, which has been sent to the House of Representatives, the minister further details the use of the annually available € 300 million. He also indicates the current status of the reinforcements. In addition, the knowledge and innovation agendas for Pandemic Preparedness have been launched. These will provide direction for combating the next pandemic more effectively in the coming years.
Minister Kuipers “Corona has had an enormous impact on our society. It of course had major consequences for public health, but the impact was also great on a social and economic level. To be better prepared for the next pandemic, we must start with science. Because knowledge and its exchange is an indispensable building block for pandemic preparedness. I invite the field to work together and arrive at a joint approach.”
Commitment to knowledge and innovation for pandemic preparedness
Knowledge and innovation are important for effective control of the next pandemic. Minister Kuipers wants to strengthen knowledge and research and stimulate innovation with so-called knowledge and innovation agendas. Minister Kuipers wants to implement the implementation together with the academic world, the business community, RIVM, ZonMw and other parties.
A number of investigations have already been initiated. For example, ZonMw, on behalf of the minister, finances research to learn more about how diseases spread and the influence of behavior on this. In order to combat a pandemic, it is also important that we have rapid access to medicines, vaccines and new tests. ZonMw finances research into the regulations surrounding drug and vaccine development against pandemics.
Milestones and achievements in pandemic preparedness
A recent and important milestone is the launch of the National Scaling-up Infectious Disease Control (LFI) Function. The LFI is a new crisis organization and is part of the RIVM. The LFI can be deployed in the event of an outbreak of an A infectious disease with a national impact. €15.5 million is invested in this annually. In addition, extra money has been made available to strengthen infectious disease control at GGDs and there are additional places for the Society & Health doctor training course. €52.2 million is invested in this annually.
€10 million will be available next year for the flexible deployment of personnel. This will create approximately five hundred places for the shortened Basic Acute Care (BAZ) training course. The training focuses on broad and flexible training of people who already work in healthcare, so that these healthcare professionals are better prepared for the next crisis.
EU contracts have also been concluded with vaccine manufacturers to ensure rapid scale-up of vaccines during a crisis, to strengthen security of supply. In addition, a partnership was established this year to prepare the Caribbean part of the Kingdom for pandemic preparedness.