WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) has denied claims that the Dutch Health and Youth Care Inspectorate is being barred from conducting oversight at the hospital, stating that the agency is welcome to carry out inspections.
The response came from CMC’s general director Johan de Graaf following questions raised by PAR Member of Parliament Shaheen Elhage about possible restrictions on the Dutch inspectorate.
Elhage had expressed concern that limitations on oversight by the Dutch Inspectorate for Health and Youth Care (IGJ) could have consequences for patients from the Caribbean Netherlands, who might be referred to Aruba instead of Curaçao for medical treatment.
De Graaf rejected the suggestion that the inspectorate is being denied access, emphasizing that CMC remains open to scrutiny. At the same time, he noted that any such inspections should be coordinated with Curaçao’s own Inspectorate for Public Health.
“We understand that the IGJ wants insight into the quality of care,” De Graaf said, adding that proper coordination between the relevant authorities is important.
The hospital’s management indicated that it will not take a substantive position on the broader issue of cooperation between the Dutch and Curaçao inspectorates, leaving that matter to the responsible institutions.
So far, Curaçao’s health inspectorate has not issued a response. Minister of Health, Environment and Nature Tyron Boekhoudt has also not yet commented on the matter.
According to earlier information, a cooperation agreement between the inspectorates of Curaçao and the Netherlands was signed on October 1, 2025. The current discussion raises questions about how that agreement is being implemented in practice.