Senior leadership of the Netherlands government and the World Health Organization reaffirmed their longstanding partnership in promoting and protecting the health of people worldwide during a meeting on 30 September 2026.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus thanked Mr Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, for the Netherlands' continued leadership on shared priorities, including health security, emergency preparedness and response, resilient health systems, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The partnership reflects the Netherlands' Global Health Strategy 2023–2030, which recognizes that protecting global health also helps protect health in the Netherlands.
Dr Tedros welcomed the Netherlands' continued commitment to flexible and predictable financing, which strengthens WHO's capacity to prepare for and respond to health emergencies worldwide. Dutch support contributes to, amongst others, WHO's work in Gaza, Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, helping deliver essential health services, disease surveillance, outbreak control and medical supplies.
The two leaders reflected on the evolution of the Ebola outbreak and the need to ensure access to essential health services for Palestinian patients from Gaza. They further discussed ways to strengthen cooperation on health emergencies and ensure rapid action when crises emerge, including mechanisms that make financing more readily available to contain outbreaks before they escalate.
They also reflected on the growing number of attacks on health care and reiterated the importance of protecting health workers, patients and health facilities, while ensuring continued access to essential health services in humanitarian settings.
Dr Tedros thanked the Netherlands for its longstanding leadership in advancing SRHR, particularly for women, girls and people in vulnerable situations. Through its partnership with WHO and the WHO-hosted Human Reproduction Programme, the Netherlands has helped translate research and evidence into practical improvements in women's health.
The two sides also exchanged views on WHO's ongoing transformation and organizational priorities, sharing a commitment to ensuring that resources, expertise and international cooperation deliver greater impact for countries and communities.
Dr Tedros and Minister Sjoerdsma agreed to continue working closely to advance shared priorities.
About WHO
Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, WHO leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere, an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. We are the United Nations’ agency for health that connects nations, partners and people in more than 150 locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to support all countries to promote, provide and protect health. “Together for health. Stand with science”, the theme of World Health Day 2026, marks a year-long campaign to highlight science as the foundation for protecting health and well-being worldwide.