Dutch global health policy

Health knows no borders. A virus that starts in one country can quickly spread across the world, and climate change affects everyone’s health—no matter where they live. That’s why countries need to work together to keep people safe and ensure everyone can access healthcare. Right now, the Netherlands is not doing enough. We need stronger, multi-sectoral policies to deal with global health threats, backed with sufficient investments to make a real difference.

The Dutch Global Health Strategy is a good first step, and we’re proud to have helped shape it with our partners. But there’s still more work to do. The Netherlands should:

1. Help fix unfair global health financing by addressing debt and tax avoidance that take resources away from public budgets.
2. Be better prepared for the next pandemic also by supporting local production of vaccines and medicines.
3. Strengthen the role of the World Health Organization as the key global leader on health.
4. Tackle the health impacts of climate change like heatwaves, floods, and food insecurity, that disproportionately affect people in vulnerable situations.

The Netherlands should also use its strong track record in global health and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) to maintain a leadership role. Wemos is a founding member of the Dutch Global Health Alliance with whom we advocate for Dutch policies that contribute to stronger health systems worldwide. To protect our health, we must invest in the everyone’s health.