WILLEMSTAD – Former Health Minister Javier Silvania is seeking answers from the government regarding the financial situation of two important healthcare institutions, Betesda and Hospice Arco Cavent, warning that unresolved funding issues could affect the availability of care on Curaçao.
In a series of parliamentary questions submitted to Health Minister Tyron Boekhoudt, Silvania highlighted the longstanding financial challenges facing Betesda, one of the island's major nursing care providers.
According to the former minister, Betesda has struggled for years with serious financial difficulties and currently faces a tax debt estimated at approximately 15 million guilders. He argued that the introduction of short-term care services for former CMC patients was intended not only to relieve pressure on Curaçao Medical Center but also to provide Betesda with a new source of revenue.
Silvania is asking the government to clarify whether Betesda has received payments from the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) for providing short-term care services and whether agreements reached during his administration are being honored.
The former minister also drew attention to Hospice Arco Cavent, which provides palliative and end-of-life care for patients during the final stages of life.
Silvania recalled that during his tenure he commissioned studies by the Regulatory Authority Curaçao (RAC) to examine healthcare tariffs and the actual cost of care provided by healthcare institutions. One of those studies focused specifically on Hospice Arco Cavent and was intended to establish a reimbursement structure that would allow SVB to cover the costs of patients receiving care at the facility.
According to Silvania, RAC completed its cost and tariff study in September 2025, but he left office before a ministerial decree could be signed to implement the recommendations.
As a result, he is now asking Minister Boekhoudt when the decree will be signed and when Hospice Arco Cavent can expect formal reimbursement arrangements through SVB.
The questions come amid broader concerns about capacity constraints within Curaçao's healthcare system, particularly as hospitals and care institutions face increasing demand for services and growing pressure on available resources.
Silvania argued that strengthening institutions such as Betesda and Hospice Arco Cavent is essential for ensuring that patients receive appropriate care while relieving pressure on hospitals already struggling with bed shortages and long waiting lists.