The National Immunisation Programme protects children against 13 serious infectious diseases. Since it is organised by the government of the Netherlands, it is called the National Immunisation Programme. Participation is free for all children aged 18 and under. Vaccination is voluntary in the Netherlands. As a parent, you choose whether to have your child vaccinated.

Every country in the world has a programme to vaccinate children. In the Netherlands, the National Immunisation Programme has existed for over 65 years. The vaccination schedule shows how old your child will be for each vaccination.

In the Netherlands, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) is responsible for the National Immunisation Programme. The Minister decides which vaccinations are offered to children. The decision is based on advisory decisions provided by the Health Council of the Netherlands. The pharmaceutical companies make the vaccines, but they do not decide which diseases are targeted by the vaccinations in the National Immunisation Programme. They do not have any influence on the Minister’s decision.

Registering vaccines

A vaccine is considered a medicinal product. That means that its safety must first be assessed by the Medicines Evaluation Board (CBG-MEB) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Before approval, the pharmaceutical company that makes the vaccine has to prove that the vaccine is effective and safe. A vaccine cannot be used until after it has been approved by the EMA or the CBG-MEB.

The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has been commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) to organise the National Immunisation Programme. RIVM purchases vaccines for the National Immunisation Programme through a European tender. In this public procurement procedure, RIVM describes the conditions that the vaccine must meet.

The vaccinations are given by the doctor and nurse at the well-baby clinics operated by the Centres for Youth and Family (CJG) and the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs). If you receive an invitation for your child to be vaccinated, the invitation states the name and address of where the vaccination will be given. RIVM keeps records of all vaccinations, in part to monitor how many children in the Netherlands are vaccinated. This is important so we know how well people in the Netherlands are protected against infectious diseases.

Last modified January 2025

Year

Vaccination

1953

Vaccination against diphtheria

1954

Combined vaccine against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus

1957

Start of the National Immunisation Programme

1957

Vaccination against polio

1962

Combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio for infants

1965

Combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and polio for children aged 4 years and 9 years

1974

Vaccination against rubella for girls aged 11 years

1976

Vaccination against measles

1987

Combined vaccine against mumps, measles and rubella (boys and girls)

1993

Vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae type b disease (Hib)

1999

Age at which vaccination starts lowered from three to two months

2001

Revaccination against whooping cough for children aged 4 years with acellular vaccine

2002

Vaccination against meningococcal C disease (for children born on or after 1 June 2001)

2003

Vaccination against hepatitis B for at-risk children

2003

Combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and Hib disease (DTP-IPV-Hib)

2005

DTP-IPV-Hib for infants replaced by DTaP-IPV-Hib (using acellular vaccine against whooping cough)

2006

Vaccination against hepatitis B within 48 hours of birth for babies born to mothers with hepatitis B

2006

Combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, Hib disease and hepatitis B for at-risk children

2006

Vaccination against pneumococcal disease (7 types) 

2006 

Combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio for children aged 4 years 

2008

Vaccination against hepatitis B for children with Down’s syndrome

2010

Vaccination against cervical cancer for girls aged 12 years (born in or after 1997) 

2011

Vaccination against pneumococcal disease expanded from 7 to 10 types

2011

Vaccination against hepatitis B for all babies (born on or after 1 August 2011) 

2013

Vaccination against pneumococcal disease (10 types) streamlined from 4 to 3 vaccine doses

2014

Vaccination against HPV streamlined from 3 to 2 vaccine doses

2018 Protection offered by meningococcal vaccine expanded to four types of meningococcal bacteria: A, C, W and Y
2019 Maternal whooping cough vaccination during pregnancy (22-week vaccination)
2020 Vaccination against meningococcal disease types A, C, W and Y for all children aged 14 years
2022 HPV vaccination for boys, and at an earlier age for girls
2024 Vaccination against rotavirus for babies
2025 Four changes to the vaccination schedule