CMC: “Prime Minister was right, hospital indeed bankrupt”

WILLEMSTAD - “The Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) is indeed bankrupt. Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas was right." This is according to the director of the hospital Gilbert Martina during a press conference on the annual accounts for 2020. According to Martina, the financial situation is bad and cannot continue for long.  

 

The CMC suffered a loss of 42.5 million guilders in 2020. This was partly due to an insufficient healthcare budget, but also to the costs of undocumented migrants. "They have no health insurance, so the CMC pays for the costs of medical care from them. In addition, the corona pandemic has cost a lot of extra money," said Martina.  

 

The hospital's income amounted to 244 million guilders in 2020, while 286 guilders were spent. The deficit of 42 million guilders is partly due to the deficit of 23 million guilders in the healthcare budget of the Social Insurance Bank (SVB), 6 million for care for undocumented migrants, 4 million for care for corona patients and 11 million in laboratory costs.  

 

In addition, the decision to build the hospital in Otrobanda and not on the former Amstel site plays a role in the start-up costs. These costs amounted to 625 million guilders instead of the estimated 421 million guilders.  

 

In response to questions from the reporter of the Dutch news site Nu.cw, Martina stated that the hospital's board is on speaking terms with the government, but that he regrets that the CMC was not invited to the recently held press conference about the hospital by the government. Martina: "An administrative agreement has been signed between the government and the CMC. It sets out 14 action points that must be implemented in a short period of time, before the end of the year." 




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