Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (Netherlands)

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The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (Dutch: Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport; VWS) is the public health authority of the Netherlands. The current minister of this department is Ab Klink. He is aided by a minister without portfolio for youth and family (André Rouvoet), who is also a deputy prime minister, and a state secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport (Jet Bussemaker).

Contents 1 Responsibilities 2 Organisation 3 History 4 Ministers 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Responsibilities

The ministry is responsible for three policy areas:

• Public health and health care
• Welfare and social-cultural work
• Sports

[edit] Organisation

The ministry is currently headed by two ministers and one state secretary. The ministry's main office is located in the centre of the Hague. 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 insurances
• Youth and Welfare
• As well as other important Cultural activities

The ministry is also responsible for several autonomous agencies, most prominently:

• Social and Cultural Planning Office
• Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment

[edit] 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.^[1] Responsibilities concerning the environment and nature management were given to the newly reorganized Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment and Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries. In 1996 the responsibility for culture was transferred to the newly reorganized Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.

[edit] Ministers

The following politicians have been minister of Health since 1982:

• 2007-now Ab Klink (CDA)
• 2007-now Andre Rouvoet (CU, minister without portfolio for youth and family)
  • 2007-now Jet Bussemaker (PvdA, state secretary)
• 2002-2007 Hans Hoogervorst (VVD
• 2002 Eduard Bomhoff (LPF)
  • 2002-2006 Clémence Ross-van Dorp (CDA)
• 1994-2002 Els Borst (D66)
  • 1998-2002 Margo Vliegenthart (PvdA, state secretary)
  • 1994-1998 Erica Terpstra (VVD, state secretary)
• 1989-1994 Hedy d'Ancona (PvdA)
  • 1989-1994 Hans Simons (PvdA, state secretary)
• 1982-1989 Elco Brinkman (CDA)
  • 1986-1989 Dick Dees (VVD, state secretary)
  • 1982-1986 Joop van der Reijden (CDA, state secretary)

[edit] References

1. ^ Neelen et al. De Bestuurlijke Kaart van Nederland, p.71

[edit] External links

• Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sport

v • d • e Dutch ministries General Affairs • Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations • Ministry of Foreign Affairs • Defence • Economic Affairs • Finance • Justice • Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality • Education, Culture and Science • Social Affairs and Employment • Transportation and Water Management • Health, Welfare and Sport • Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment