Rijksvaccinatieprogramma (RVP)
Dutch, with a summary in English
Audience: members of the public and health-care professionals
The Rijksvaccinatieprogramma (National Vaccination Programme of the Netherlands) was established by the Dutch Government in 1957. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment advises, evaluates and keeps vaccination administration of the programme. It also coordinates communication to the public and health-care professionals, in collaboration with the Netherlands Vaccine Institute.
The objective of the programme is to protect all children from dangerous or deadly infectious diseases. The Government invites parents to have their children vaccinated through the national vaccination programme although participation is not obligatory. The web site was commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. It provides information on the benefit of vaccinations, how vaccines work, and possible adverse reactions. It also gives a description of the infectious diseases against which the RVP protects. In addition, the site includes a section with frequently asked questions and another about the history of the Dutch vaccination programme. Moreover, it contains links for more information.
The site is updated at least twice a year and with every change in the vaccination programme.
Date of primary evaluation: February 2005
Date of most recent evaluation: March 2010