WILLEMSTAD – MFK Member of Parliament Javier Silvania has sounded the alarm over growing staffing shortages at Curaçao Medical Center (CMC), warning that the lack of nurses is now directly affecting patient care and hospital capacity.
In a series of parliamentary questions addressed to Health Minister Tyron Boekhoudt, Silvania referred to a recent CMC podcast in which the hospital reportedly announced that 40 of its 300 beds had been closed due to a shortage of nursing staff.
According to the MP, residents continue to report long waiting times for surgeries and specialist appointments at both CMC and Advent Hospital. He cited difficulties in obtaining appointments with ophthalmologists, oncologists, rheumatologists, radiologists, neurologists and orthopedic specialists.
Silvania pointed to previous reports by the Health Inspectorate that identified persistent operational problems within CMC's operating rooms. According to those reports, healthcare workers complained of high workloads caused by staff shortages, long working hours, communication problems, insufficient training opportunities and strained relations between management and medical personnel.
The parliamentarian noted that similar concerns were raised by nurses as early as 2023 and questioned whether CMC management has implemented recommendations made by the Inspectorate in reports examining waiting lists and operating room operations.
As part of his proposed solution, Silvania is urging the government to expand specialized nursing education through the Institute for Healthcare Education (IFE). He argues that Curaçao should invest in training more nurses for operating rooms and recovery units to address chronic staffing shortages.
The MP has asked the minister to clarify what measures are being taken to increase the number of nurses in operating rooms and whether additional financial support will be provided to expand specialized healthcare training programs.
The issue comes amid growing concern about healthcare waiting lists and workforce shortages, which have become recurring challenges within Curaçao's healthcare system.