First Meeting of the Caribbean Netherlands Healthcare Committee 2025 Held on Bonaire
Bonaire – The Caribbean Netherlands Healthcare Committee 2025 convened in person for the first time on 31 March and 1 April on Bonaire. Under the leadership of Chair Frits Goedgedrag, the committee deliberated on the future of healthcare in Bonaire, St Eustatius, and Saba. The committee will develop recommendations for the State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) aimed at establishing a future-proof healthcare infrastructure in the Caribbean Netherlands. With representation from local governments, the healthcare sector and external experts, an important step has been taken in this process.
The committee includes the Island Governors of the Caribbean Netherlands – Mr John Soliano (Bonaire), Mr Jonathan Johnson (Saba), and Ms Alida Francis (St Eustatius) – alongside representatives from the healthcare sector, including Mr Giovanni Frans, Mr Philip van Woerkom and Ms Willemijn van Leeuwen. Also participating are the Director of Healthcare and Youth Caribbean Netherlands (ZJCN), Mr Herbert Barnard, and two external experts, Ms Edilse Goeloe and Mr Patrick Jeurissen. Ms Kareshma López serves as the committee’s secretary.
The committee's mandate is to draft recommendations for the further development of the healthcare infrastructure in the Caribbean Netherlands. Within the existing legal framework, the plan will provide insight into how healthcare can be strengthened and improved in the coming years, with the aim of achieving a standard of care equivalent to that of the European Netherlands. The report “The Caribbean Netherlands: Health System Review” will serve as a guiding reference.
A range of themes were discussed during the meeting, including accessibility and quality of care, preventive care and health promotion, geographical challenges, the healthcare labour market, and strengthening the position of the patient. The experiences and concerns of residents, as voiced in earlier discussions with the local island governments, are also being taken into account.