WILLEMSTAD – Cenaida Panneflek, the long-serving CEO of the Antillean Adventist Hospital (Advent Hospital), has officially announced her retirement. After 25 years at the institution—15 of which she spent as director—Panneflek will step down at the end of this year. Her departure marks the end of an era for the Curaçao-based hospital, which has been serving the island for 55 years.
The news was shared internally with staff shortly after Panneflek signed a Letter of Intent with healthcare union CBV, a milestone in the hospital’s labor relations. Earlier this year, she formally recognized the union.
In a heartfelt message to hospital staff, Panneflek called her role “the greatest honor” of her professional life. “Over the past 15 years, I’ve had the privilege to work alongside some of the most dedicated, compassionate, and resilient individuals I’ve ever known,” she said. “Despite numerous challenges, you never wavered in your commitment to treating every patient with love, dignity, and compassion.”
She praised the team’s unrelenting dedication, integrity, and humanity, calling them “the soul of this institution.”
Years of Challenges and Triumphs
Panneflek’s tenure was not without significant difficulties. One of the most persistent challenges was financial: for nearly 24 years, the hospital was forced to operate with outdated pricing structures, unchanged since 2001. According to a hospital statement, the inability to adjust rates hindered critical investments and made it difficult to improve working conditions for staff.
Still, Panneflek expressed pride in what the hospital accomplished during her leadership. “I leave knowing this hospital is in the hands of people who care not only about medicine but about humanity,” she wrote. “You are the heartbeat of this hospital.”
Transition Underway
As part of the hospital’s leadership transition, an interim CEO has been appointed by the hospital’s supervisory board. Further details about the appointment will be announced in the coming weeks, Panneflek confirmed.
CBV union president Annaliza Suares-Mathilda also commented on the transition. She learned of Panneflek’s upcoming departure during recent negotiations held with national mediator Alfeo Profas. According to Suares-Mathilda, the discussions led to a better mutual understanding, allowing both parties to put their past disputes behind them and move forward with the signed agreement.
Cenaida Panneflek will officially step down on December 31, 2025, closing a significant chapter in Curaçao’s healthcare history.
