PDPC signs Global Health Pact

PDPC joins hands with ministries of health, welfare and sport and foreign affairs and over 20 parties to strengthen commitment to global health. To this end, the Global Health Hub Netherlands was launched on 28 September 2023. To further strengthen the cooperation, they also signed the Global Health Pact.

The Global Health Hub Netherlands was established to be a forerunner in the organisation of global health care. To this end, the Hub unites knowledge institutes, academics, NGOs, top sectors, young people, innovators and think tanks active in the field of global health, among others. By joining forces, the Global Health Hub Netherlands partners jointly contribute to:

– Strengthening the global health architecture and national health systems. Including by improving access to primary health care and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.
– Improving international pandemic preparedness and minimising cross-border health threats. Focusing on global access to medicines and health products, and strengthening international efforts on antibiotic resistance (AMR) and zoonosis.
– Addressing the impact of climate change on public health and vice versa. By making healthcare globally sustainable and ensuring its resilience to climate change.

Health, Welfare and Sport Minister Kuipers said, “We all clearly feel the urgency to work towards a more robust and equitable global public health ecosystem. The challenges we face are so wide-ranging that we must work on them in every possible way. Seeking collaboration is crucial in this regard. And I don’t just mean finding a symbiosis between countries, but also between government departments and different sectors. We need the expertise of knowledge institutes and non-governmental organisations, and we need both public and private partners. Each has a role to play. Only then will we move forward to meet the challenges of our time.”

Improving health worldwide

The Global Health Hub Netherlands is part of the government’s global health strategy. Central points of this strategy are promoting cooperation, sharing knowledge and experience and defending human rights to improve people’s health worldwide.

Foreign Affairs Director-General for International Cooperation Pascalle Grotenhuis: “It is clearer than ever that health crosses borders. And that we all depend on each other to mitigate health challenges, such as new disease outbreaks and the health effects of climate change. Collaboration across sectors and across borders is essential. That is why we worked closely with the Ministry of Health in developing the Global Health Strategy and the Global Health Hub. To identify the most pressing needs, bring together knowledge, engagement and financial support, mobilise communities to stand up for their health rights, strengthen health systems and address the needs of those most in need, including women, children and LGBTIQ+ persons.”