SER Curaçao receives debriefing on role of PAHO in health care reforms

WILLEMSTAD, June 20, 2022 – ,,The necessary reforms in the organization and financing of the healthcare sector in Curaçao, which should make this sector flexible and resilient in the long run, according to what has been agreed upon with the Netherlands in the Country Package (Landspakket), have a great chance of success if there is a high sense of urgency, focus and unconditional commitment from all parties concerned, including the social partners represented in the Social and Economic Council (SER) of Curaçao. An effective communication strategy, which recognizes social dialogue as a tool for gaining support and greater measure of commitment to the reforms that have socio-economic impact, can make a valuable contribution to this.”

This is one of the main conclusions of the debriefing session that the SER of Curaçao received on Friday, June 17, 2022, from an official delegation of the policy organization of the Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN), assisted by a team of experts from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), after the council received on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at the Renaissance Hotel, at the proposal of the Ministry of GMN, a comprehensive presentation on the reforms now underway in the healthcare sector and on how PAHO/WHO is providing technical assistance to this process. This presentation was a follow-up to the meeting that the SER had with the Minister of GMN Ms. Dorothy Pietersz-Janga on Friday, June 3, 2022, during which a further explanation was given on the proposal for a narrowing package of the Basic Health Insurance (BVZ), which the Minister has submitted to the SER for advice.

Underlying the reforms, some of which are already in the implementation phase, is the four-phase intervention strategy approved in the first quarter of this year by the Council of Ministers (RvM) of Curaçao for the sustainability of the Curaçao healthcare system as contained in the report “Kopzorgen over de zorg” of January 26, 2022. This four-phase intervention strategy forms the policy basis of the current Cabinet to make the quality, accessibility and affordability of healthcare in Curaçao sustainable.

The direct reason for the phased intervention strategy, approved by the Council of Ministers of the Leeward island, is the subsequent loss-making operation of the new hospital (the Curaçao Medical Center, CMC). The indirect reason for the phased intervention strategy is the medium-term sustainability of the Government contribution (Landsbijdrage) to the BVZ Fund.

During the presentation to the SER on Wednesday, June 15, the PAHO/WHO experts, based on their technical expertise and supporting role to the Ministry of GMN, gave their views on how and to what extent Curaçao could use methodological approaches that have been proven effective, based on country comparative empirical research, particularly in the Latin American and Caribbean region, to reduce rising healthcare costs and keep healthcare accessible at high quality levels.

The debriefing session on Friday, June 17 was mainly dedicated to provide feedback to the SER on the practical feasibility of those methodological approaches in the specific Curaçao context and on the preconditions that need to be met to increase the success rate for effective reform implementation. The continued social commitment, in particular that of the social partners, was acknowledged.

Pictured: seated at the head table, acting SER President John Jacobs (left) and the head of the PAHO/WHO technical delegation Dr. Erica Wheeler. Standing, some SER members, professionals from the Ministry of GMN and the PAHO/WHO experts.
Click here for the PowerPoint presentation.