ABSTRACT

Internationally, the Netherlands has a name for its excellent prevention of infectious diseases, resulting from a very high immunization uptake. Since 1979, the national average for all immunizations has been more than 90". This chapter explores the scientific foundations of immunization in the Netherlands. It describes the original Dutch text has been updated for this English edition, in which the situation as of September 1993. To put things into perspective, the National Immunization Programme (RVP) and the way it is organized are outlined, followed by a synopsis of the immunization programmes. The initial impetus for the RVP was the polio epidemic in 1956 which claimed 2206 victims. A diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine (DPT) had been available in the Netherlands since 1952, and was extensively used in the child health clinics, so that 70" of the children had been immunized with DPT by the time the RVP was introduced. The chapter discusses costs of the RVP and the hepatitis B screening and immunization.