WILLEMSTAD - The Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) is grappling with an urgent shortage of gastroenterologists, leaving critical gaps in patient care. Despite the severity of the situation, it remains unclear whether a solution is in sight. On Monday, the CMC management sent an urgent letter to Minister of Health Javier Silvania, describing the scenario as "catastrophic." However, the hospital has not yet received a response from the government.
In its letter, the CMC explicitly shifted responsibility to the government, stating: “Given the gravity of the situation, the Board of Directors is compelled to place the full risk of the absence of gastroenterologists—along with potential consequences, liabilities, and emergencies—on the government.”
Longstanding Issue
The shortage of gastroenterologists has been a persistent problem, with the CMC repeatedly bringing it to the attention of the Minister of Health and the Inspector General of Public Health, Prof. S. Keli. Despite these efforts, the hospital claims that no structural solution has been found. The letter was signed by General Director Gilbert Martina, Operations Director Karina Lombardi-de Freitas Bras, and Medical Director Ingemar Merkies.
The crisis has escalated to the point where there are specific dates in the coming weeks with no available gastroenterologists for evening, night, or weekend shifts. The first of these dates was this past Monday, with additional gaps expected on January 1, January 3-5, and January 8-9.
Plea for Government Intervention
In its letter, the CMC urgently requested the government to take necessary measures to address the issue. This includes granting approval to exceed the salary cap for medical specialists set by the National Ordinance on Standardization of Top Incomes (LNT). The hospital argues that raising specialist compensation is essential to resolving the crisis and ensuring continuous care for the Curaçao population.
As the island’s primary healthcare institution, the CMC’s plea underscores the pressing need for immediate government intervention to safeguard public health.