WILLEMSTAD – The surgical department of the Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) is calling for an end to its involvement in bariatric care, citing increasing pressure on resources and the absence of a structured, integrated treatment program.
According to the group of surgeons, it is no longer sustainable for the surgical department to remain responsible for initiating and coordinating the full trajectory of obesity treatment, which includes procedures such as gastric bypass and other weight-loss surgeries.
While bariatric surgery itself is not performed on Curaçao due to limitations in infrastructure, staffing, operating capacity, and long-term specialized care, a small number of patients are referred abroad, primarily to Colombia, for treatment. In practice, however, patients are first referred locally to surgeons, who are tasked with managing the entire pre- and post-treatment process.
This includes extensive consultations, patient education, coordination with dietitians and psychologists, and administrative work related to medical referrals abroad. The surgeons describe this process as time-consuming and resource-intensive.
The department argues that the current setup places a significant burden on outpatient surgical capacity, reducing availability for other patients in need of care. They also point out that during initial consultations, the surgical aspect of obesity treatment is often not yet relevant.
“Patients frequently arrive with unrealistic expectations and without having received adequate lifestyle guidance beforehand,” the group noted. “A considerable amount of time is spent on education and creating awareness, which limits our ability to treat other patients.”
The surgeons are therefore advocating for a different approach, in which bariatric care is embedded within a broader, multidisciplinary program rather than being driven by the surgical department alone.
The development raises broader questions about how obesity care is structured on the island and whether additional investment or coordination is needed to address the growing demand for treatment.