WILLEMSTAD – The government of Curaçao has intervened to stabilize the financial situation at the Antillean Adventist Hospital, ensuring that salaries for March have been secured and preventing disruptions in healthcare services.
Concerns arose earlier this week after hospital management informed staff about a possible delay in salary payments due to ongoing negotiations with the government and the Social Insurance Bank (SVB). The situation triggered uncertainty among employees about their wages.
According to the government, the hospital had already alerted authorities on March 5 about acute liquidity problems and warned that it might not have sufficient funds by the end of the month to cover salaries and essential medical supplies.
Given the hospital’s role as one of the island’s key healthcare providers, the government deemed it critical to act quickly to avoid any interruption in care. Minister responsible for healthcare, acting Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas, instructed immediate measures to find a responsible solution.
The financial challenges are partly linked to ongoing assessments by the Regulatory Authority Curaçao (RAC), which is reviewing the tariffs applied by SVB. That process is still ongoing and is expected to lead to adjustments in the hospital’s healthcare budget starting in 2026.
In anticipation of these adjustments, the government approved a temporary liquidity facility through SVB to cover additional expenses not yet included in the current budget. This measure is intended to safeguard both hospital operations and employee salaries.
Following intensive negotiations between the government, SVB, and hospital representatives, an agreement was reached. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Pisas, acting in his capacity as interim Minister of Health, visited the hospital together with union representatives to reassure staff that their salaries were never at risk.
Hospital management has since confirmed its agreement with the terms of the deal. The arrangement includes a financial facility of 5 million guilders to support the hospital through 2026 while awaiting budget adjustments based on RAC recommendations.
The agreement is also expected to form the basis for a broader restructuring plan aimed at improving the hospital’s financial sustainability within Curaçao’s healthcare system.
Prime Minister Pisas expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating that a lasting solution has been achieved and thanking all parties involved, including the union, for helping to prevent unnecessary panic during the negotiations.