RIVM’s temporary working organisation group Prevention Programmes and Public Health Upscaling is working on a new domain with the aim of organising prevention programmes in such a way that they are fit for purpose and recognisable for the public. The domain will be comprised of the Department for Vaccine Supply and Prevention Programmes, the Centre for Population Screening and the National Functionality for Upscaling Infectious Disease Control. The primary task of this new RIVM domain will be to direct and coordinate population screening programmes, screenings, vaccination programmes and upscaling during large-scale infectious disease outbreaks.

Centre for Population Screening
The Centre for Population Screening directs and coordinates the eight national population screening programmes offered by the Dutch government. It is also responsible for the National Influenza Prevention Programme. The Centre acts as a linking pin between the parties involved in policymaking and implementation. It organises and supports the network proactively and focuses on the further development of existing population screening programmes and the successful implementation of new population screening programmes.

Department for Vaccine Supply and Prevention Programmes
The Department for Vaccine Supply and Prevention Programmes coordinates the implementation of the National Immunisation Programme, Neonatal Screening and the Prenatal Screening for Infectious Diseases and Erythrocyte Immunisation for pregnant women.

National Functionality for Upscaling Infectious Disease Control
In the coming years, the Netherlands is likely to face major outbreaks of infectious diseases again. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for better pandemic preparedness. Rapid upscaling and central coordination of medical-operational processes, such as testing, vaccination and source and contact tracing, are essential during such an outbreak. To achieve these aims, a new crisis response organisation has been set up under the umbrella of RIVM: the National Functionality for Upscaling Infectious Disease Control. This was officially launched on 1 September 2023. 

Oebele Tolsma serves as the acting coordinator of the temporary working organisation Prevention Programmes and Public Health Upscaling.