WILLEMSTAD – A recent report from the Health Inspectorate has revealed discrepancies between the Curaçao Medical Center's (CMC) reported figures on the departure of medical specialists and the findings of the Inspectorate. Contrary to CMC’s claim that a significant number of departures are linked to the Landsverordening Normering Topinkomens (LNT), the Inspectorate has concluded that not all cases are related to this issue. 

Out of 22.5 cases of specialist departures suggested by CMC in relation to LNT, Sirving Keli, the Inspector General, reported that only 6.4 full-time equivalents (FTE), or seven medical specialists, appear to have a possible connection to the LNT regulation. This conclusion is based on a progress report titled “Departure of Medical Specialists at CMC in Relation to LNT,” which provides an update as of March 19, 2025. 

In this report, Keli counters CMC’s claims. While CMC initially reported a total of 19.7 specialist departures by the end of February 2025, expected to rise to 22.5 in the near future, the Inspectorate’s findings reveal a significantly lower number of specialists actually leaving the hospital. As of February 27, 2025, CMC reported 12.7 medical specialists had departed since June 2023, with an additional 2.8 expected to leave soon. 

The discrepancies are politically sensitive, as CMC has filed a lawsuit against the government over the LNT issue. The Inspector General also pointed out that CMC had failed to report replacements or new hires to fill these positions. When considering the intake of specialists at other hospitals such as the Curaçao International Clinic (CIC) and Advent Ziekenhuis, along with the deployment of temporary specialists, the overall medical workforce in Curaçao has seen an increase. 

According to Keli’s findings, when taking into account all health facilities, including CMC, CIC, and Advent, the total number of specialists across the country has actually increased by half a gastroenterologist and one additional dermatologist, while there is a shortfall of only one ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. 

In summary, the Inspectorate concludes that, contrary to CMC’s report, there has been no overall decrease in medical specialists in Curaçao’s healthcare system. The net loss is limited to one ENT specialist, while other specialties have seen gains.