WILLEMSTAD – Minister of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN) Tyron Boekhoudt has met with representatives of Keralty Group as part of efforts to find solutions to Curaçao’s long waiting lists for specialist medical care.
This marks the second visit by Keralty representatives to Curaçao following Boekhoudt’s visit to Colombia in June of this year.
“Behind every name on the waiting list is a person waiting to receive care. For that person, every day counts,” Boekhoudt said. “That is why reducing the waiting list is one of my priorities. We need to move from discussions to solutions.”
The talks with Keralty are part of the government’s efforts to determine how specialist healthcare can be made more accessible and how treatment capacity on the island can be expanded.
According to the minister, several practical options are being considered. These include bringing medical specialists to Curaçao to treat patients locally, strengthening the island’s existing healthcare capacity and arranging treatment abroad when that represents the best option for a patient.
Each option will have to be evaluated in cooperation with healthcare institutions and the social insurance system, with the quality of care and the medical needs of patients remaining the primary considerations.
“Our people cannot continue waiting,” Boekhoudt said. “I will continue looking for partners who can help us create capacity, reduce waiting times and give people access to the care they need.”
The minister stressed that cooperation with Keralty should ultimately contribute to a sustainable solution for Curaçao rather than serve merely as a temporary measure.
The next step will be to determine which options are realistic, how they can be organized and what impact they could have on patients who are currently waiting for specialist treatment.
Boekhoudt said the government will provide further information once concrete results are available.