WILLEMSTAD – PAR parliamentarian Shaheen Elhage is demanding answers from Health Minister Tyron Boekhoudt about Curaçao Medical Center’s unresolved financial situation, healthcare waiting lists, hospital capacity, BVZ reform and the government’s progress in implementing structural healthcare reforms.
The questions are part of an extensive evaluation conducted by Elhage into the execution of Curaçao’s 2026 budget during the first six months of the year.
According to the document, the government pledged to maintain an accessible, high-quality and financially sustainable healthcare system. It also promised to reduce waiting lists for specialist care, create a stable future for CMC and the basic health insurance system BVZ, strengthen preventive healthcare and protect Curaçao’s environment and natural resources.
Elhage acknowledges that several initiatives were discussed during the first half of 2026. These include additional support for CMC, agreements involving Advent, the possible arrival of specialists from Colombia, integration of ambulance services and reform of BVZ.
A working session on preventive healthcare was also organized.
However, Elhage says official reports indicate that many of these measures remained in the preparation stage during the first half of the year.
According to the document, reform of primary healthcare had not yet started, several important decisions about the healthcare system remained under consultation, a permanent financial model for CMC had not yet been defined, the prevention program was still under development and the study concerning the future of BVZ had not been completed.
The Board of Financial Supervision (Cft) had also indicated that there was still no definitive solution for CMC’s financial situation and that the budgetary consequences remained insufficiently clear.
Elhage is therefore asking Boekhoudt to explain how the ministry can speak of structural solutions for CMC while, according to the reports cited in his letter, a permanent financial model remains unresolved.
Waiting lists are another major issue.
The PAR parliamentarian wants the government to disclose how many patients were on waiting lists on January 1 and June 30, broken down by medical specialty. He also wants measurable targets for reducing those lists and figures showing how many patients received treatment more quickly.
Hospital capacity is also being questioned. Elhage wants figures on the number of hospital beds and long-term care beds available as of June 30, as well as the number of patients occupying hospital beds despite no longer requiring hospital-level care.
He is also requesting details of any additional financial support provided to CMC, Advent and other healthcare institutions, including the conditions attached to that funding and the budget items used to finance it.
BVZ reform is another major concern. Elhage wants the government to publish a complete reform plan containing financial calculations, the expected impact on premiums, possible changes to the healthcare package and an implementation timetable.
The parliamentarian is also seeking measurable results from preventive healthcare programs, including the number of people reached, expenditures and whether the initiatives have resulted in measurable reductions in illness.
Beyond healthcare, Elhage is asking for figures on inspections related to the environment, food safety, medicines and nature protection, including violations detected and sanctions imposed.
Finally, he is calling for a public dashboard containing updated information about healthcare waiting lists, environmental inspections and progress on government projects.
“Pueblo no ta pidi solamente promesanan. Pueblo ta pidi resultadonan konkreto awor,” Elhage wrote — the population is not asking only for promises, but for concrete results now.
These four focus on Finance, VVRP/infrastructure, Education and Healthcare. The document also contains substantial material for separate stories on Justice, poverty/SOAW, economic diversification, government digitalization and Elhage’s broader call for Parliament to strengthen oversight of the Pisas government.