At the Annual General Meeting on 18 June 2026, the Netherlands’ Society for Global Health (NSGH) bid farewell to its chair, Hanneke Dekker. The members approved the appointment of board member Jeannet Bos as the new chair. This marks the start of a new phase for the society, building on the solid foundations laid in recent years.
Thanks to Hanneke Dekker
After seven years on the board, the last few of which she spent as chair, Hanneke Dekker is stepping down from the chairmanship. Under her leadership, the NSGH took significant steps towards further professionalising and modernising the association. Cooperation within the NSGH, KCGH and OIG partnership was also strengthened, the association’s visibility increased, and greater attention was paid to advocacy, research, education and links with working groups and partner organisations.
In addition, Hanneke oversaw the careful process surrounding the association’s name change. This was an issue of great significance to many members and, thanks to an open and respectful dialogue, it was brought to a successful conclusion.
On behalf of the association, we would like to extend our warmest thanks to Hanneke for her commitment, vision and dedication over the past few years.
A new chairperson with a broad outlook
Jeannet Bos is a consultant in internal medicine and infectious diseases and has been working for many years at the intersection of infectious diseases, international cooperation and global health. Her commitment to global health began early in her career and was further shaped by her work in southern Africa.
“Although my work as an internist and infectious disease specialist focuses specifically on the health of individuals, I have always been very interested in the social forces that shape the impact of diseases on a society under different circumstances.”
After completing her studies, Jeannet moved to Botswana and Mozambique, where she worked with health partners and other organisations in the fields of HIV care, education and research. There, she saw first-hand how inequality and limited access to healthcare can make the difference between health and illness.
“Here I saw that, for all sorts of reasons, various other groups of people had no access to good healthcare, even though they were people who desperately needed it. This is health poverty. It runs counter to the fundamental right to health as defined by the WHO and the UN. My experiences have made me keenly aware that specialist knowledge, effective collaboration and a professional understanding of other people’s circumstances are all necessary at the same time to achieve sustainable solutions.”
The strength of the global health community
According to Jeannet, global health professionals possess a unique combination of knowledge, experience and international collaboration, which is of particular value in the current climate.
“I believe that global health professionals, with their unique expertise and experience, are invaluable in ensuring accessible healthcare for everyone in the Netherlands and around the world. NSGH is an association of and for global health professionals who have been dedicating themselves to this cause with heart and soul for almost 120 years. We are constantly mindful that improvements in health are inextricably linked to the health of our planet and to human rights.”
Looking ahead
As the new chair, Jeannet wishes to build on the strong foundations the association has laid in recent years. In doing so, she sees opportunities to further increase the NSGH’s social impact and visibility.
“I see significant opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of the NSGH and its members. One of these, I believe, lies in further aligning our joint actions as a tripartite partnership with the changing global reality and, consequently, with the current need for global health expertise. Another opportunity lies in organising our collective knowledge and positions in a more targeted manner and sharing them more consistently, thereby enabling us to make our voice as an association heard more forcefully.”
At the same time, she emphasises the importance of the association as a network where professionals can meet, share knowledge and work together on the future of global health.
“Above all, I think we all want to remain the networking platform where a whole world of members with knowledge and experience in the field of global health and international healthcare can come together and share ideas.”
We warmly congratulate Jeannet on her appointment and look forward to the further development of the NSGH under her chairmanship. At the same time, we would like to express our deep appreciation for the efforts of Hanneke Dekker, who has led the association with great dedication over the past few years.
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