About the Dutch Global Health Hub
The Dutch Global Health Hub was established as a result of the Global Health Strategy.
Health challenges don’t stop at borders. This was made painfully clear by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, there is great inequality; around a third of the world’s population has no access to essential health services. This also affects public health in the Netherlands. It is vital, therefore, that the Netherlands works to improve the health system in other countries. In October 2022, the government adopted the Dutch Global Health Strategy. It sets out the Netherlands’ commitment to strengthening cooperation, sharing knowledge and experience and defending human rights in order to improve public health worldwide.
What should the Dutch Global Health Hub achieve?
The Dutch Global Health Hub should lead the way towards a global health system, by bringing together parties from different sectors that are active in the field of global health. Our work builds on existing partnerships.
The partners of the Dutch Global Health Hub will join forces to contribute to:
- More knowledge exchange and intersectoral partnerships;
- Streamlining and coordinating actions;
- Encouraging innovation;
- International and interministerial policy coherence;
- Pioneering advocacy by various parties in the Hub.
The Hub's focus issues are the priorities identified in the Global Health Strategy. To find the best solution to each issue three Communities of Practice have been set up, each focusing on one particular theme:
- Strengthening the global health architecture and national health systems;
- Improving international pandemic preparedness and minimising cross-border health threats;
- Addressing the impact of climate change on public health, and vice versa.
The importance of public health for young people, and vice versa
Improving young people’s health worldwide is a priority for the Dutch Global Health Hub. It actively encourages meaningful participation by young people in the various phases of policymaking (design, implementation and evaluation), strategies and programmes that will affect them and the world in which they live. A Youth Advisory Committee, consisting of young people from around the world with expertise in various health themes, has been established to advise the network.