WILLEMSTAD – March 2025 marks five years since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Curaçao, and medical expert Ashley Duits is sounding the alarm: a new pandemic is inevitable, and the island is not ready.
Duits, a medical immunologist and director of the national blood bank, led Curaçao’s vaccination program when the COVID-19 vaccine became available. He warns that it is only a matter of time before another virus spreads globally, and if Curaçao does not improve its healthcare system, the island will be forced to start from scratch once again.
Environmental and Biological Risks
Duits highlights deforestation and climate change as major factors increasing human contact with virus-carrying animals. “Bats, for example, carry numerous viruses that could be dangerous to humans. Some newly discovered viruses can use the same receptor as SARS-CoV-2, meaning they have the potential to cause another pandemic.”
Another growing concern is mutations of existing viruses, such as the avian flu, which has now begun infecting mammals. "The moment a virus like this gains the ability to spread from human to human, we will be back in the same situation," Duits explains.
Lessons from COVID-19 and Curaçao’s Response
Reflecting on the COVID-19 crisis, Duits praises the resilience of medical staff and the island’s emergency response. He highlights how the hospital rapidly expanded ICU capacity from 9 to over 60 beds, something that even the Netherlands could not match. The government also mobilized doctors from different specialties and, with support from the Netherlands, brought in extra medical professionals.
However, serious weaknesses were exposed, particularly in Curaçao’s fragile healthcare system. “We need to invest more in public health so that we can react faster and more effectively to future pandemics. Many agreements and measures have already been forgotten, which is concerning.”
Duits stresses that healthcare is more than just hospitals—prevention and public health infrastructure need to be strengthened systematically. “We focus too much on expensive treatments for those already sick, but we neglect investment in prevention, infrastructure, and expertise in public health.”
Misinformation and Public Distrust
One of the biggest challenges during the pandemic, according to Duits, was the overwhelming amount of misinformation spreading via social media. “For the first time, we faced a pandemic where social media played a massive role, fueling the spread of pseudo-science and vaccine skepticism,” he explains.
To counter misinformation, Curaçao even produced a YouTube video debunking false claims. Despite skepticism, targeted information campaigns and local outreach efforts helped achieve a high vaccination rate on the island.
However, public distrust remains a major issue. Duits points to historical reasons behind vaccine hesitancy: “In countries like the United States, unethical medical experiments were conducted where patients were deliberately left untreated to observe disease progression. This history has created deep-seated distrust toward governments, even in Curaçao. If we fail to address this distrust, it will create new problems during the next pandemic.”
Emotional and Social Impact
Beyond professional challenges, the pandemic also took a personal toll on Duits. “It was devastating to see people refuse a life-saving vaccine and then pass away. Some of them I knew personally.”
He recalls the isolation of COVID-19 patients, who died alone in hospitals without family. “That didn’t have to happen.” He also points out how poverty and inequality played a role in who was most affected. “The poorest communities always suffer the most in pandemics, and we are still not doing enough to change that.”
A Humbling Experience and a Call for Change
The pandemic changed Duits both as a doctor and as a person. “It made me more humble,” he says, explaining that COVID-19 revealed humanity’s vulnerability.
“We like to believe we are in control, that science and technology can solve everything, but nature keeps proving us wrong. We need to accept that we do not control everything.”
He also learned the importance of empathy, even towards those who refused vaccines. “I cannot simply say, ‘You should have gotten vaccinated.’ Some people don’t trust the government, and often, that distrust is justified. If we want better responses to future health crises, we must listen and rebuild trust first.”
Stronger Collaboration Within the Kingdom
Despite the challenges, Duits sees one positive outcome: the cooperation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He believes Curaçao benefited from its ties with the Netherlands, securing early access to vaccines while many other nations struggled to obtain them.
“This is an advantage we must continue to use. The Kingdom's cooperation during COVID-19 showed how effective collaboration can be. We need to formalize these relationships so that we are better prepared for the next crisis.”
Looking Ahead
For Duits, the pandemic was a life-changing experience—both professionally and personally. “Hopefully, we learn from it and prepare better for the next crisis. But that begins with understanding that we are not invincible and that cooperation and mutual respect are key to our survival.”
