Programma
Longer healthy lives for everyone in the Netherlands
A healthy society does not begin in the consulting room, but in daily life: healthy housing, healthy work with a liveable income, good education, income and social connectedness are important factors. However, there is still a great deal of untapped potential in this regard, because although the Dutch are living longer than ever before, we are increasingly developing chronic conditions at a younger age. To gain more healthy years of life for everyone, there is a major challenge across multiple domains. That is why De Gezondheidstransitie is committed to a fundamental shift: from care and disease to health and prevention.
Programma Population Health
Since the 1980s, the Dutch have been living with an increasing number of unhealthy years. People with fewer opportunities are hit hardest in particular: men with lower levels of education live with around twenty unhealthy years on average, compared to thirteen years for those who are highly educated. At the same time, pressure on healthcare is growing, participation is declining, and staff shortages and the capacity for innovation are mounting across various sectors. The need to place health at the centre is widely felt throughout society. Research shows that 75% of the Dutch believe that health and wellbeing should be given greater priority in order to keep the Netherlands liveable, functioning and prosperous.
De Gezondheidstransitie brings together health funds, civil society organisations, knowledge institutions, governments, businesses and residents to make health a structural part of policy and daily life. The programme encourages a shift from disease and care to health and prevention. This means investing in healthy living environments, strong communities and equal opportunities for good health. Not only within healthcare, but especially also at school, in neighbourhoods, at work, at sports clubs and within social networks. More than fifty organisations have signed the Health Declaration to this end. Together, they are building a movement that places health at the centre of all domains of society.
De Gezondheidstransitie demonstrates that health is a shared responsibility. By connecting organisations and citizens, stronger networks emerge, alongside greater engagement and solutions that better reflect people’s everyday lives.
This initiative is part of our Population Health Programme, through which we work on sustainable solutions to strengthen the health of neighbourhoods, communities and populations.
