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.
