WILLEMSTAD – A new group of Community Health Workers, known locally as "Health Promoters," received their certificates on Friday after successfully completing Curaçao's third Community Health Worker training program.
The graduation ceremony was held on July 17 at the House of Worship on Erosweg and was attended by Minister of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN) Tyron Boekhoudt, who addressed the graduates during the event.
The intensive one-week training program, which began on July 13, was specifically developed to prepare Community Health Workers to serve as trusted links between vulnerable groups in the community and Curaçao's healthcare and social service systems.
In his remarks, Minister Boekhoudt thanked the participants for their dedication and commitment, describing the newly trained Health Promoters as a valuable addition to Curaçao's healthcare system with significant potential to improve the health and well-being of the island's population.
The minister also expressed his appreciation to everyone who contributed to making the third training program possible. He thanked Dr. Kenneth Christopher and his team from Liberty University in Virginia, United States, for their continued collaboration with the Ministry of GMN, as well as the House of Worship for hosting the program. He also recognized Iglesia Bida Nobo and Salú pa Tur for their leadership, commitment and active participation.
Looking ahead, the Ministry of GMN announced that it is in discussions with the Curaçao Red Cross to integrate Community Health Workers into its operational structure. The goal is to finalize those discussions soon so that the Health Promoters will have a clearly defined operational framework.
The ministry has also recently approached the Directorate for Disaster Risk Management (DDR), through ESF6 National Coordinator Emmylou Jakoba, with the aim of formally recognizing the Community Health Workers as an official partner within the Emergency Support Function 6 (ESF6) structure. ESF6 is responsible for coordinating mass care and humanitarian assistance during major disasters and emergencies.
Minister Boekhoudt congratulated all of the new Health Promoters on their graduation and wished them success as they begin serving the Curaçao community.