About Task Force Health Care

Task Force Health Care (TFHC) is a Dutch public-private platform established in 1996, serving the Dutch Life Sciences & Health sector and supporting its international expansion. Its mission is “Improving healthcare together by connecting the right people worldwide.”  

 TFHC brings together companies, researchers, NGOs, healthcare providers and government stakeholders to facilitate collaboration, matchmaking, international business development, and health-system impact globally. It emphazises Dutch expertise and technology being applied to improve healthcare infrastructure and services in emerging and developing countries. | Source: TFHC; healthvalley.nl 

Collaborations with GHH-partners

  • Government / Agencies 
    • Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO) – TFHC works “at the request of RVO” to organize the NL Pavilion at major trade fairs (e.g., MEDICA) for Dutch LSH sector companies. | Source: TFHC 
    • Health Holland – TFHC lists Health Holland as a core partner, supporting internationalisation of Dutch health innovation. | Source: TFHC
  • NGOs / Sector platforms 
    • TFHC is listed as a partner of Global Health Hub Nederland (GHH) in the sense of being an “Affiliated Partner”. It works to align Dutch health-innovation actors with global health goals. | Source: globalhealthhub.nl
  • Universities / Knowledge institutes & Private sector 
    • Potential collaborations, not publicly documented in detail - TFHC’s network explicitly includes knowledge institutions, companies, NGOs and health-care providers. | Source: healthvalley.nl

Overview of characteristics

 Activities: 

  • Geographic reach: TFHC maintains relationships in 30+ countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East and Americas. | Source: TFHC
  • Mode of work: 
    • Facilitates matchmaking between Dutch health-sector actors and international partners. | Source: TFHC
    • Organises international missions, trade-shows, sectoral platforms, networking events and provides market intelligence. | Source: Zorg voor innoveren 
    • Supports “internationalisation” of Dutch companies, research institutes, NGOs into global health markets, especially in developing/emerging contexts. | Source: healthvalley.nl 
  • Sector focus: The Dutch Life Sciences & Health (LSH) sector; applying Dutch expertise & technology to global health, health systems, sustainable care. | Source: Zorginnovatie

Community of Practice:  

  • CoP1: Strengthening Health Systems 
  • CoP2: Pandemic Preparedness and Cross-Border Health Threats 
  • CoP3: Climate Change and Public Health 

Themes & subthemes within CoP1, CoP2 and CoP3 

CoP1: Strengthening Health Systems 

  • Themes:
    • International health infrastructure improvement via Dutch expertise and technology. | Source: healthvalley.nl 
    • Building partnerships to improve access and capacity in emerging/low-resource settings. 
  •  Sub-themes:
    • Health-system readiness & technology adoption in LMICs. 
    • Supply-chain / innovation adoption support for health systems (via matchmaking Dutch companies). 
    • Capacity building of local health providers through Dutch-health sector partnerships. 

CoP2: Pandemic Preparedness 

  • Themes: 
    • Accelerating internationalisation of health innovations (which can include diagnostics, digital health, supply-chain resilience) to support preparedness and response. (inferred from TFHC’s focus on international healthcare innovation) 
  • Sub-themes: 
    • Supporting Dutch health-innovation companies to enter global markets with pandemic-relevant technologies. 
    • Facilitating knowledge sharing and partnerships in emerging markets to strengthen health-security infrastructure. 
    • Trade/match-making events focused on diagnostics, telemedicine, remote care (which are important for epidemic/pandemic contexts). 

CoP3: Climate Change & Health 

  • Themes:
    • Improving sustainable health systems by connecting Dutch sustainability/health-tech with global health needs. TFHC mentions “smart, sustainable solutions” to global health challenges. | Source: TFHC
  • Sub-themes:
    • Sustainable healthcare solutions: clean technologies, circular health-tech, resource-efficient health systems. 
    • Climate-resilient health-systems innovation: e.g., digital health, remote/telemedicine solutions for settings impacted by climate change. 
    • Trade/innovation missions linking Dutch sustainable health-technology with global-south health systems. 

Organization type: 

Private company 

Available resources:  

  • Knowledge & expertise: 
    • Over 25 years’ experience in facilitating international health-innovation partnerships from The Netherlands. | Source: Health Holland 
    • Market intelligence, internationalization support, strategic partner identification, matchmaking services. | Source: Zorg voor innoveren 
  • Networks: 
    • Extensive network of 80+ partners (companies, research institutes, NGOs, healthcare providers) and 1,500+ activities globally. | Source: TFHC 
    • Strong ties to Dutch government agencies (ministries, RVO), embassies, and global health markets across 30+ countries. 
  • Influence / advocacy capacity: 
    • Platform role in the Dutch LSH ecosystem, shaping internationalization agendas, facilitating trade missions, engaging Dutch ministries. | Source: TFHC 
  • Financial / operational capacity: 
    • Not a large grant-maker itself, but operational capacity to coordinate events, missions, and link actors with funding/international partners. 
  • Coordination capability: 
    • Proven track record of coordinating consortia, missions, pavilions (e.g., NL Pavilion at MEDICA). | Source: TFHC 

Contact information

Website: Home - TFHC