How healthy is Zuid-Holland and what can we do about it with joint knowledge, experience and targeted actions? Some 400 people set to work on seven health themes on 8 April in Delft at the conference “Healthy Society: innovate and implement sustainably - Action in the Delta”. Deputy Mariëtte van Leeuwen of the Province of Zuid-Holland received the insights, in the form of puzzle pieces.
It was the first joint conference of Medical Delta, Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities and the Zuid-Holland Impact Alliance of Universities of Applied Sciences. The aim was to kick-start an action agenda for a healthier Zuid-Holland. An important theme for the province because the inhabitants of Zuid-Holland score low on average when it comes to health and high when it comes to health inequalities. How healthy is Zuid-Holland and what can we do about this with joint knowledge, experience and targeted actions? Some 400 people set to work on seven health themes on 8 April in Delft at the conference “Healthy Society: innovate and implement sustainably - Action in the Delta”. Deputy Mariëtte van Leeuwen of the Province of South Holland accepted the insights, in the form of puzzle pieces.
As a province, we want to be the accelerator.' - Deputy Mariëtte van Leeuwen
Deputy Van Leeuwen: 'It is important that we work together to make Zuid-Holland a healthier province. As the province, we want to be the accelerating factor. For example, by spreading knowledge to municipalities.'
Van Leeuwen stressed that health is not an obvious topic for a province and that the knowledge lies much more within universities, universities of applied sciences, hospitals and municipalities. Zuid-Holland does invest in this and is keen to make use of the knowledge present in the region. 'Let's use what knowledge we already have!" the deputy said.
In the TU Delft auditorium, the participants devised solution approaches in working sessions around themes such as health inequalities, urban environment, labour-saving techniques in care, making hospitals more sustainable, financing care innovations, biotechnology and food.
Participants in the working sessions included healthcare professionals, developers, scientists, teachers, students, patient representatives, end-users, entrepreneurs and policymakers from a wide range of organisations and fields. The insights from the sessions on which actions are most beneficial were then shared in a plenary setting and presented to the deputy as puzzle pieces.
A few insights that were mentioned:
1: Health inequalities in the region: bring everyone to the table. Keep ownership with residents. It is their life and their neighbourhood.
2: Urban design: Think in terms of target groups such as age classes. Connect the physical and social domains.
3: Labour-saving technology: watch out for shifts from second- to first-line care. In addition, how can we reduce the administrative burden?
4: Sustainable healthcare: human behaviour is the biggest challenge. Also: textiles have to be cleaned and transported. Can that be done less and more centrally in the region?
5: Financing healthcare innovations: “Social impact bonds” is a promising new financing instrument where risk is shared between public and private.
6: Biotech Zuid-Holland: We can present ourselves externally as one strong region and claim a position in the world that we have and deserve.
7: Healthy food: Let it become synonymous with sustainable and tasty. Approach: legislation and lobbying, education, increase in percentage of plant-based and healthy supply.
On behalf of the alliances, the Dean and chairs responded.
Wim van den Doel, Dean Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities: 'On behalf of the alliances, the Dean and chairs responded.'What is striking about all the insights presented is that it is about broader thinking. It is about business models, legal arrangements, governance, behaviour. Anything but purely a medical issue. And also: how do we do it in society? So the call is: Involve more disciplines to tackle this issue even better. The knowledge is there!'
Joeri van den Steenhoven, chairman Zuid-Holland Impact Alliance of Universities of Applied Sciences: 'The presentations also show that boundaries are blurring. For example, it is about co-creation by scientist and citizen. I would like to appeal not to set up new structures for this, but to work within the many and good things that already exist.'
Frank-Willem Jansen, chairman Medical Delta: 'A new step has been taken here today with not thinking in frames but in strengths. Working together sounds easy but is often a challenge we enjoy. We just have to do it. The working sessions show that this is possible. It is a nice appeal to administrators and existing initiatives to continue down the path we have taken.'
What is the follow-up to this working conference? In the coming months, the action agenda for a healthy Zuid-Holland will be further shaped under the direction of Medical Delta with partners such as ZHIA, LDE, Province of Zuid-Holland and other stakeholders. The outcomes will be presented on 13 November 2025 at the Gezond Verstand Festival of the Province of Zuid-Holland.
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