List of ministers of health of the Netherlands

Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport of the Netherlands
Minister van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport
Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
since 23 February 2026
Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
StyleHis/Her Excellency
Member ofCouncil of Ministers
AppointerThe monarch
on advice of the prime minister
Formation15 September 1951 (1951-09-15)
First holderDolf Joekes
as Minister of Social Affairs and Health
Salary205,991 (As of 2025)[1]

The minister of health, welfare and sport (Dutch: Minister van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport) is the head of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and a member of the Cabinet and the Council of Ministers. The incumbent minister is Jan Anthonie Bruijn of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).

Regularly, a state secretary is assigned to the ministry who is tasked with specific portfolios. The current state secretaries are Nicki Pouw-Verweij of the BBB and Judith Tielen of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). Respectively, they have been assigned the portfolios of long-term care and social care and of youth care, preventive care, and sport. In the past, there have also been ministers without portfolio assigned to the ministry.

List of ministers of health

Social affairs and health (1951–1971)

Minister of Social
Affairs and Health
Term of office Party Cabinet
Dolf Joekes
(1885–1962)
15 September 1951 –
2 September 1952
Labour Party Drees I
[2]
Ko Suurhoff
(1905–1967)
2 September 1952 –
22 December 1958
Labour Party Drees IIIII
[3][4]
Louis Beel
(Prime Minister)
(1902–1985)
22 December 1958 –
19 May 1959
Catholic People's Party Beel II
[5]
Charles van Rooy
(1912–1996)
19 May 1959 –
3 July 1961
[Res]
Catholic People's Party De Quay
[6]
Victor Marijnen
(1917–1975)
3 July 1961 –
17 July 1961
[Ad Interim]
[Minister]
Catholic People's Party
Gerard Veldkamp
(1921–1990)
17 July 1961 –
5 April 1967
Catholic People's Party
Marijnen
[7]
Cals
[8]
Zijlstra
[9]
Bauke Roolvink
(1912–1979)
5 April 1967 –
6 July 1971
Anti-Revolutionary Party De Jong
[10]

Health and environment (1971–1982)

Minister of Health
and Environment
Term of office Party Cabinet
Louis Stuyt
(1914–2000)
6 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
Catholic
People's Party
Biesheuvel III
[11]
Irene Vorrink
(1918–1996)
11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Labour Party Den Uyl
[12]
Leendert Ginjaar
(1928–2003)
19 December 1977 –
11 September 1981
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Van Agt I
[13]
Til Gardeniers-
Berendsen

(1925–2019)
11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Van Agt IIIII
[14][15]

Social affairs and health (1982–1994)

Minister of Welfare,
Health and Culture
Term of office Party Cabinet
Elco Brinkman
(born 1948)
4 November 1982 –
7 November 1989
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Lubbers III
[16][17]
Hedy d'Ancona
(born 1937)
7 November 1989 –
16 July 1994
[Res]
Labour Party Lubbers III
[18]
Jo Ritzen
(born 1945)
16 July 1994 –
22 August 1994
[Acting] [Minister]
Labour Party

Health, welfare and sport (since 1994)

Minister of Health,
Welfare and Sport
Term of office Party Cabinet
Els Borst
(1932–2014)
[Deputy]
22 August 1994 –
22 July 2002
Democrats 66 Kok III
[19][20]
Eduard Bomhoff
(born 1944)
[Deputy]
22 July 2002 –
16 October 2002
[Res]
Pim Fortuyn List Balkenende I
[21]
Aart Jan de Geus
(born 1955)
16 October 2002 –
27 May 2003
[Acting] [Minister]
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Hans Hoogervorst
(born 1956)
27 May 2003 –
22 February 2007
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Balkenende IIIII
[22][23]
Ab Klink
(born 1958)
22 February 2007 –
14 October 2010
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Balkenende IV
[24]
Edith Schippers
(born 1964)
14 October 2010 –
26 October 2017
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Rutte III
[25][26]
Hugo de Jonge
(born 1977)
[Deputy]
26 October 2017 –
10 January 2022
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Rutte III
[27]
Ernst Kuipers
(born 1959)
10 January 2022 –
10 January 2024
[Res]
Democrats 66 Rutte IV
[28]
Conny Helder
(born 1958)
10 January 2024 –
2 July 2024
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Fleur Agema
(born 1976)
[Deputy]
2 July 2024 –
3 June 2025
[Res]
Party for Freedom Schoof[29]
Eddy van Hijum
(born 1972)
[Deputy]
3 June 2025 –
19 June 2025
[Acting] [Minister]
New Social Contract
Daniëlle Jansen
(born 1970)
19 June 2025 –
22 August 2025
[Res]
New Social Contract
Robert Tieman
(born 1976)
22 August 2025 –
5 September 2025
[Acting] [Minister]
Farmer–Citizen Movement
Jan Anthonie
Bruijn

(born 1958)
5 September 2025 –
23 February 2026
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Sophie Hermans
(born 1981)
23 February 2026 –
Incumbent
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Jetten
[30]
Resigned
Acting
Ad Interim
Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister from 1998 until 2002
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries
Minister of Education and Sciences
Minister of Social Affairs and Employment
Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management
Resigned following election to the European Parliament

List of ministers without portfolio

Ministers without Portfolio Portfolio Term of office Party Cabinet
André Rouvoet
(born 1962)
[Deputy]
Youth care
Family policy
22 February 2007 –
14 October 2010
(Minister of Education,
Culture and Science in 2010)
Christian Union Balkenende IV
[24]
Bruno Bruins
(born 1963)
Primary healthcare
Medical ethics
Pharmaceutical policy
Sport
Corona management
(Bruins only)
26 October 2017 –
19 March 2020
(Resigned)
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Rutte III
[27]
Martin van Rijn
(born 1956)
[31]
23 March 2020 –
9 July 2020
Independent
(Labour Party)
[32]
Tamara van Ark
(born 1974)
9 July 2020 –
3 September 2021
(Resigned)
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Conny Helder
(born 1958)
Primary Healthcare
Long-term care
Sport
10 January 2022 –
10 January 2024
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Rutte IV
[28]
Pia Dijkstra
(born 1954)
Primary healthcare
Medical ethics
Health insurance
Pharmaceutical policy
Corona management
2 February 2024 –
2 July 2024
Democrats 66
Mirjam Sterk
(born 1973)
Long-term care
Youth care
Sport
23 February 2026 –
Incumbent
Christian Democratic Appeal Jetten
[30]

List of state secretaries for health

State Secretary for
Social Affairs
Portfolio(s) Term of office Party Cabinet
Piet Muntendam
(1901–1986)
Primary
healthcare

Elderly care
Disability policy
1 April 1950 –
15 September 1951
Labour Party Drees–Van Schaik
[33][2]
Aat van Rhijn
(1892–1986)
• Social security
• Unemployment
Occupational
safety

• Social services
15 February 1950 –
15 September 1951
Labour Party
State Secretary for Social
Affairs and Health
Portfolio(s) Term of office Party Cabinet
Piet Muntendam
(1901–1986)
Primary
healthcare

Elderly care
Disability policy
15 September 1951 –
1 October 1953
[Res]
Labour Party Drees III
[2][3]
Aat van Rhijn
(1892–1986)
• Social security
• Unemployment
Occupational
safety

• Social services
15 September 1951 –
22 December 1958
Labour Party Drees IIIIII
[2][3][4]
Bauke Roolvink
(1912–1979)
• Social security
• Unemployment
Occupational
safety

• Social services
15 June 1959 –
24 July 1963
Anti-Revolutionary Party De Quay
[6]
Louis Bartels
(1915–2002)
Primary
healthcare

Elderly care
Disability policy
Medical ethics
3 September 1963 –
5 April 1967
Catholic People's Party Marijnen
[7]
Cals
[8]
Zijlstra
[9]
José de Meijer
(1915–2000)
Occupational
safety

Public
organisations
15 November 1963 –
5 April 1967
Catholic People's Party Marijnen
[7]
Cals
[8]
Zijlstra
[9]
Roelof Kruisinga
(1922–2012)
Primary
healthcare

Elderly care
Disability policy
Medical ethics
18 April 1967 –
6 July 1971
Christian Historical Union De Jong
[10]
State Secretary for Health
and Environment
Portfolio Term of office Party Cabinet
Jo Hendriks
(1923–2001)
Primary
healthcare

Elderly care
Disability policy
11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Catholic People's Party Den Uyl
[12]
Els Veder-Smit
(1921–2020)
Primary
healthcare

Elderly care
Disability policy
Medical ethics
Food policy
3 January 1978 –
11 September 1981
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Van Agt I
[13]
Ineke Lambers-Hacquebard
(1946–2014)
Environmental
policy

Food policy
11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Democrats 66 Van Agt IIIII
[14][15]
State Secretary for Welfare,
Health and Culture
Portfolio(s) Term of office Party Cabinet
Joop van der Reijden
(1927–2006)
Primary
healthcare

• Social services
Elderly care
Disability policy
Medical ethics
5 November 1982 –
14 July 1986
Christian Democratic Appeal Lubbers I
[16]
Dick Dees
(born 1944)
Primary
healthcare

• Social services
14 July 1986 –
7 November 1989
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Lubbers II
[17]
Hans Simons
(1947–2019)
Primary
healthcare

Elderly care
Youth care
Disability policy
7 November 1989 –
26 February 1994
[Res]
Labour Party Lubbers III
[18]
State Secretary for Health,
Welfare and Sport
Portfolio(s) Term of office Party Cabinet
Erica Terpstra
(born 1943)
• Social services
Elderly care
Youth care
Disability policy
Minorities
Food policy
• Recreation
Sport
22 August 1994 –
28 June 1998
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Kok I
[19]
Margo Vliegenthart
(born 1958)
Elderly care
Youth care
Disability policy
Pharmaceutical
policy

Sport
3 August 1998 –
22 July 2002
Labour Party Kok II
[20]
Clémence Ross-van Dorp
(born 1957)
Elderly care
Youth care
Disability policy
Medical ethics
Sport
22 July 2002 –
22 February 2007
Christian Democratic Appeal Balkenende I
IIIII
[21][22][23]
Jet Bussemaker
(born 1961)
Elderly care
Youth care
Disability policy
Medical ethics
Sport
22 February 2007 –
23 February 2010
[Res]
Labour Party Balkenende IV
[24]
Marlies Veldhuijzen van Zanten
(born 1953)
Elderly care
Youth care
Disability policy
Medical ethics
Pharmaceutical
policy
14 October 2010 –
5 November 2012
Christian Democratic Appeal Rutte I
[25]
Martin van Rijn
(born 1956)
Elderly care
Youth care
Disability policy
Medical ethics
Pharmaceutical
policy
5 November 2012 –
26 October 2017
Labour Party Rutte II
[26]
Paul Blokhuis
(born 1963)
Social services
Disability policy
26 October 2017 –
10 January 2022
Christian Union Rutte III
[27]
Maarten van Ooijen
(born 1990)
Youth care
Preventive care
10 January 2022 –
2 July 2024
Christian Union Rutte IV
[28]
Vicky Maeijer
(born 1986)
Long-term care
Social care
2 July 2024 –
3 June 2025
Party for Freedom Schoof
[29]
Nicki Pouw-Verweij
(born 1991)
19 June 2025 –
Incumbent
Farmer–Citizen Movement
Vincent Karremans
(born 1986)
Youth care
Preventive care
Sport
2 July 2024 –
18 June 2025
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Judith Tielen 19 June 2025 –
23 February 2026
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Resigned

References

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