The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport ( nl, Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport; VWS) is the Dutch Ministry responsible for

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

health care Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health pr ...

quality of life Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as "an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards ...

social work Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social wo ...

and

sport Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, ...

. The Ministry was created in 1951 as the "Ministry of Social Affairs and Health" and had several name changes before it became the "Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport" in 1994. The Ministry is headed by the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, currently

Ernst Kuipers Ernst Johan Kuipers (; born 14 December 1959) is a Dutch gastroenterologist, professor and politician who has served as Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport in the fourth Rutte cabinet since 10 January 2022. He is a member of the Democrats 66 ...

( D66), assisted by one State secretary, currently Maarten van Ooijen ( CU).

Organisation

The ministry is currently headed by two Cabinet Ministers and one State secretary. The ministry's main office is located in the centre of

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...

. The civil service is headed by a secretary general and a deputy secretary general, who head a system of three directorates general: * Public Health, responsible for safety, prevention and sports * Health Care, responsible for care, medicine and health insurance * Youth and Welfare The ministry is also responsible for several autonomous agencies, most prominently: * Netherlands Institute for Social Research *

Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment ( nl, Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu or simply RIVM) is a Dutch research institute that is an independent agency of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. RIVM perfo ...

History

There had been a ministry of Social Work since 1952. In 1965, it was also given responsibility for Culture and Recreation, and it was named Ministry of Culture, Recreation and Social Work. Between 1951 and 1973 there had been a Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Care. In 1973 a separate Ministry of Health and the Environment was formed. In 1982 these two ministries merged to form the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Sports. Responsibilities concerning the environment and nature management were given to the newly reorganized

Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment The Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment ( nl, Ministerie van Volkshuisvesting, Ruimtelijke Ordening en Milieu or ''VROM'') was a Dutch ministry. It was responsible for policies on public housing, spatial planning, the env ...

and Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries. The ministry built a new headquarters in 2003 designed by the architect and Driehaus Prize winner

Michael Graves Michael Graves (July 9, 1934 – March 12, 2015) was an American architect, designer, and educator, as well as principal of Michael Graves and Associates and Michael Graves Design Group. He was a member of The New York Five and the Memphis Gr ...

. In 1996 the responsibility for culture was transferred to the newly reorganized Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.

References

External links

*
Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport
(Rijksoverheid) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (Netherlands) Medical and health organisations based in the Netherlands Health, Welfare and Sport

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

Ministries established in 1951 Michael Graves buildings 1951 establishments in the Netherlands

Organisation

History

See also

References

External links