WILLEMSTAD - The Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) is choosing to keep patients with eye injuries on its waiting list rather than following the directive issued by the Health Inspection to refer them to the Antillean Adventist Hospital (AAH).
Cenaida Panneflek, the director of Advent Hospital, colloquially known as AAH, has appealed to Minister of Health, Environment, and Nature, Javier Silvania, seeking his intervention in the matter.
Advent Hospital had strategically prepared for an anticipated surge in eye patients by making significant investments in recent years. The establishment of an eye clinic and collaboration with four ophthalmologists from Mexico were among the initiatives undertaken.
However, due to CMC's unexpected actions, Advent Hospital is compelled to send one of its ophthalmologists back. This decision means that the doctor will now perform only eight cataract surgeries per day instead of the initially planned 40. The hospital views this as a misallocation of healthcare resources.
Expressing surprise at CMC's non-referral stance, Panneflek emphasized the counterintuitive nature of the decision. According to the director, around 500 patients are patiently waiting for surgeries at CMC, and this decision is only exacerbating the existing waiting list.
The repercussions for CMC in this situation remain uncertain. As of now, the Ministry of Health, Environment, and Nature (GMN) has not issued any response to the ongoing dispute. The standoff raises questions about the coordination and communication within Curaçao's healthcare system.