Download - Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport Inspiration from the Netherlands A presentation about the sexual health policy of the Ministry of Health, Welfare.

Inspiration from the Netherlands

A presentation about the sexual health policy of the Ministry of

Health, Welfare and Sport

Maryse Kok, MSc. Department of Public

Health

Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport

Content of the presentation

• State of sexual health in the Netherlands• Basis of sexual health policy• Actors• Prevention policy• Treatment and care policy• Challenges for the future


State of sexual health in the Netherlands 1

Sexual transmittable diseases (heterosexual men and women)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

2003 2004 2005 2006

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

gonorroe chlamydia syfilis HIV+



Teenage mothers

2795 mothers under theage of 20 years in 2005

1059 from them of aNon-western background



Abortion

Netherlands

Foreign countries

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005


Basis of sexual health policy 1

Basic principles of sexual health policy:• Be open towards and accept sexuality;• Combine policy, research, prevention and

treatment;• Support people having problems with

sexuality;• Respect for human rights;• Complement the specific roles of national

and local governments and of strong NGO’s.



Objective of our policy:To improve and maintain the sexual health of the people in the Netherlands

By:• Preventive activities• Appropriate treatment• Surveillance• Research



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-

-

---

+

STDs Unintended

pregnancy

Violence

Speci

fic

Pre

venti

ve

measu

res

Tre

atm

ent

and c

are

Healthy choices of youth

Comprehensive sexuality education


Actors

Prevention (collective and specific)

Treatment and care

Ministry Centre for

infectious diseases

Regular health care (GP, second line).

Financed by insurance

Abortion

clincs

Sexuality

STDclinics

NGO’sMunicipal Health Centres

Financing through Public Health Act

Additional to GP

Finance

Support


Prevention policy

• National mass media campaigns about Save Sex

• Actions at local level: implementation of preventive measures at schools and in youth work

• Information at the internet, in magazines

Money “labeled” for prevention sexual health: €8.8 million


Treatment and care policy

• Health insurance – GP, hospital care– Contraceptive pill and morning after pill– Condoms

• Abortion/ STD/ sexual health clinics– Total amount of money: €30 million

• NGO’s supporting care (unintended pregnancy, undesired childlessness, adoption)– Total amount of money: €4 million


Link between prevention and treatment/care

STD and sexual health clinics• Integration of these two separate facilities• 8 coordinating municipal health centres


Research and surveillance

• Research– ZonMw (money from the ministry)– Universities– Certain NGO’s

• Surveillance– STD’s: Centre for Infectious Diseases– Other: Rutgers Nisso Groep (NGO)


Important conditions

• Attention of municipalities• Strong NGO’s and

involvement of target groups• Coordination of NGO’s, for instance by the

Centre for Infectious Diseases• Good surveillance system• International cooperation

– European Union– Outside EU


Challenges for the future

Priorities (!)• Attention to sexual health issues compared with other

health issues

Handling with stigma:• Unwillingness of parents and school/ teachers (!)• Specific problems of certain groups of immigrants• Problems of religious groups

Changing norms about sexuality• More kinds of sexual manifestations• Influence of television and internet


The end