WILLEMSTAD – A dispute has erupted between the management of the Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) and the specialists of the National Association of Medical Professionals (LVMP) over longstanding structural issues within the hospital.
The specialists claim they have been working under significant strain for five years due to a persistent shortage of colleagues, a problem they have repeatedly raised. They allege that the CMC management has failed to honor agreements, causing uncertainty and burnout among medical staff.
In response to the ongoing concerns, the specialists have threatened to reduce their working hours, halt elective care, and provide only emergency services starting December 27 if their demands are not addressed.
The CMC management has labeled two of the proposed actions as unlawful and announced it will take measures to ensure continuity of care. Management has urged the specialists to avoid taking action and instead engage in discussions to resolve the matter.
The hospital administration has given the specialists an ultimatum to confirm by Wednesday at 5:00 PM that they will refrain from the planned actions. Failure to comply will prompt the CMC to consider further steps.
Both sides emphasize the importance of maintaining safe patient care, but a resolution to the conflict remains elusive.