Disinformation and vaccine hesitancy among top new health risks, says Dutch institute

Growing pressure on international cooperation and the rise of disinformation and misinformation are emerging as major new threats to public health in the Netherlands, according to a new risk assessment by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). Experts consulted for the report warned about the "declining effectiveness" of the World Health Organization (WHO) and a falling willingness among the public to receive vaccinations.

Vaccination rates among babies and young children have declined slightly compared with last year, according to the organization’s annual report, which tracks childhood immunization coverage.

Alongside these emerging threats, long-standing risks such as climate change, environmental pollution, and antimicrobial resistance continue to pose serious challenges to public health.

Antimicrobial resistance develops when bacteria, viruses, and fungi become less responsive to medicines designed to treat them. The RIVM warned that this is especially worrying because "another outbreak of an infectious disease with pandemic potential" remains a realistic possibility.

The RIVM said today's threats are evolving quickly and often interact, increasing the likelihood of a "polycrisis" in which several emergencies compound one another.

The institute pointed to the coronavirus pandemic as evidence that a health crisis can have far-reaching consequences across society. It added that the government's current plans do not include a broad, cross-government strategy for dealing with another prolonged public health emergency, arguing that all ministries should be involved in preparing for such a scenario.

The RIVM also pointed to a decline in international cooperation on public health after the United States withdrew from several global organizations and agreements, including the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO). The institute warned that this is troubling because addressing "cross-border public health threats" requires close international collaboration.

The RIVM warned that weakening international cooperation is fragmenting scientific research and undermining global public health efforts. It noted, for example, that WHO initiatives to combat disease-causing fungi have been suspended. The institute said these international developments could have significant implications for public health in "an open, internationally connected country like the Netherlands."

The report also highlighted areas in which the Netherlands is considered a global frontrunner. One example is antimicrobial resistance, where the country is recognized for its prudent use of antibiotics, supported by robust laboratory networks and established treatment protocols.

The RIVM bases its assessment of vaccination trends on estimates, as part of the data is provided anonymously without personal details such as children’s year of birth. Because of this limitation, the recorded vaccination coverage is less precise and is believed to be lower than the actual rate, the institute said.

Although the figures are based in part on estimates, it can still be concluded that vaccination coverage among babies and young children has edged down, according to Jeanne-Marie Hament, programme manager of the National Immunisation Programme. “The number of registered vaccinations is slightly lower. Around 1.5 percent of vaccinations are reported anonymously, as in previous years. That allows us to see that the overall percentage has decreased slightly,” she said.