WILLEMSTAD – Five newly qualified operating room assistants have graduated in Curaçao, adding much-needed capacity to the island’s healthcare workforce and supporting efforts to improve access to surgical care.
During the diploma ceremony, Minister of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN) Tyron Boekhoudt congratulated the graduates and emphasized that investing in healthcare professionals is one of the key pillars of building a sustainable healthcare system.
The five new operating room assistants are expected to contribute directly to increasing operating room capacity and improving the quality and accessibility of healthcare in Curaçao. Their graduation is also being presented as a concrete result of continued investment in the education and professional development of local healthcare workers.
“Every healthcare professional we train is an investment in Curaçao’s future,” Boekhoudt said. “Today, we are not only celebrating five diplomas, but also five professionals who will help strengthen healthcare for our people.”
The minister acknowledged that Curaçao’s healthcare sector continues to face several challenges, including personnel shortages and growing demand for medical care.
According to Boekhoudt, GMN is pursuing a broader strategy that combines training local talent with attracting medical specialists in areas where Curaçao faces shortages.
As part of that strategy, the minister is also pursuing international cooperation, including partnerships with medical institutions in Colombia. The cooperation is intended to help bring specialists to Curaçao in fields where sufficient expertise or capacity is currently unavailable.
The government believes that bringing additional specialists to the island could also create more opportunities for locally trained healthcare professionals to apply their knowledge, gain experience and continue their professional development.
Boekhoudt thanked the educational institutions, instructors and healthcare professionals who contributed to training the new operating room assistants.
According to the ministry, the graduation of the first group represents another step toward strengthening Curaçao’s healthcare system, reducing waiting times and creating a more accessible and sustainable healthcare sector.