Ministers showcase their signed agreements during the virtual meeting on Tuesday.
PHILIPSBURG--Health Ministers of the four countries of the Kingdom have officially approved the establishment of a cooperative association between the medical institutions in Curaçao, Aruba, St. Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius by signing a decision document.
Minister of Health, Environment and Nature of Curaçao Zita Jesus Leito, Minister of Tourism, Health and Sports of Aruba Danguillaume Oduber, Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor of St. Maarten Richard Panneflek and the State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport Paul Blokhhuis signed the documents on Tuesday, February 9.
As a cooperative, the Dutch Caribbean Hospital Alliance (DCHA) will give concrete effect to the common goal of reducing vulnerability and dependence, but above all, to be able to ensure the continuity of specialist medical care in the future and to increase the quality and availability of specialist medical care where possible.
The DCHA’s mission statement is, “to provide the best possible local and regional medical care through embedded collaboration between the islands within the Kingdom and strategic partners, where the well-being of our patients, the maintenance of a sound financial-economic situation and ensuring our cultural values have top priority.”
The establishment of the cooperative association is currently in a so-called “quartermaster phase”. The intention is to officially launch the establishment of the hospital cooperative in this year’s first quarter.
The government officials of the four countries of the Kingdom are confident that enhanced collaboration between the hospitals will improve the quality and continuity of care provided to the residents of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.
