Netherlands faces ICU shortages despite €1.2 billion EU recovery fund approval
The Netherlands remains ill-prepared for a future pandemic, despite receiving a likely 1.2 billion euros payment from the European Union's COVID-19 recovery fund. Healthcare professionals and Tweede Kamer members warn that intensive care capacity remains inadequate and recent budget cuts have undermined preparedness efforts.
Five years after the first wave of COVID-19, the country still struggles to meet the intensive care expansion targets promised during the pandemic. CDA Tweede Kamer member Harmen Krul criticized the current state of ICU resources. “The ambition after COVID-19 was to expand ICU capacity to 1,150 beds. Now, we are below pre-pandemic levels at approximately 850 beds. That is not enough to handle even a regular flu epidemic, let alone another pandemic,” Krul said.
Bart Ramakers, an intensive care physician at Radboud UMC and chair of the professional association of ICU doctors, confirmed the shortfall. “We do not have the 1,150 ICU beds that were promised in the Integral Care Agreement. For years, we have been warning that, with the current approach, we are simply not reaching that goal.”
In October, the ICU doctors' association formally warned Minister of Health Fleur Agema that ICU capacity had declined under current policies. “The available ICU capacity in the Netherlands has declined under current policies, just as we predicted. Recent figures clearly show that this operational capacity is no longer sufficient to meet healthcare demand, even during a routine flu epidemic,” the letter stated.
Despite these concerns, the government cut pandemic preparedness funding. The initial allocation of 300 million euros to strengthen public health organizations such as the GGD has been scrapped, sparking backlash from lawmakers.
SP Tweede Kamer member Jimmy Dijk criticized the move. “The 300 million euros was meant to reinforce the GGD network, one of the key lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. Cutting this budget is a disastrous move if another pandemic emerges,” he said.
D66 Tweede Kamer member Wieke Paulusma accused the government of failing to learn from past mistakes. “The previous cabinet had a plan and set aside money to ensure pandemic preparedness. The entire healthcare sector, including experts, has told the current administration that they cannot simply discard these funds. Yet, this government has been completely silent on new preparedness plans,” Paulusma said.
The Ministry of Health has stated that it will review the funding decision in the spring. Additionally, a planned 50 million euros investment for 2025 has been put on hold, affecting the budgets of the GGD and RIVM.
At the same time, the European Commission has approved a 1.2 billion euros payment to the Netherlands from the EU COVID-19 recovery fund, pending formal approval from member states. The Netherlands has applied for a total of 5.4 billion euros under the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility, a program designed to help member states recover from the economic impact of the pandemic.
To secure the latest payment, the Dutch government had to implement reforms, including streamlining housing construction procedures and tackling corporate tax avoidance. The funds are earmarked for various initiatives, including ICU expansion, job training for unemployed individuals, and compensation for pig farmers exiting the industry.
Despite this new funding, Tweede Kamer members and healthcare professionals remain skeptical about the government’s commitment to pandemic preparedness. Paulusma, who worked in healthcare before entering politics, stressed the urgency of addressing these issues. “People who lost loved ones or suffered severe illness during COVID-19 still feel the impact today. We were caught off guard then, but we should not be caught unprepared again. This government is neglecting its responsibility,” she said.
SP’s Dijk called for measures to make healthcare jobs more attractive. “Right now, half of young healthcare workers leave the profession within two years. That must change.”
