WILLEMSTAD.- “When a specialist indicates that he cannot operate a patient under the current conditions medically available and that it is necessary for the patient to be operated abroad, there will be no other option than sending the patient, to have the operation performed,” explained by the Minister of Health, Environment and Nature, Suzy Camelia-Rõmer.
“The interest of the patient is the most important aspect. The doctor must inform what should happen with the patient. If there is a medical indication that the patient should be send abroad, the patient will be send. “If there is something that needs to be solved financially, it will be solved. We will work it out with SVB.”
Camelia-Rõmer explained that: the number of medical treatments abroad is very high because there is still no HNO and because SEHOS does not have enough funds to buy everything needed. Camelia proposed to SVB and SEHOS to break this vicious circle. This would mean to buy all the equipment that SEHOS needs. But it is not easy. However buying the equipment does not mean at the same time that will stop sending patients abroad. There will be double expenses. In conclusion, the problem is more complex than it seems.
With this, the Minister reacted on the remarks of medical specialists and other people who do not understand why they do not invest more money in SEHOS and thus avoiding spending so much money sending patients abroad. On June 28, SEHOS made the decision not to operate patients who were not urgent due to the lack of medicine. The surgeon Jeannouel van Leeuwen explained to Extra about this situation: “Urgent cases are currently being sent abroad, costing a large amount of money, and SEHOS cannot operate on patients who are on the waiting list.” Van Leeuwen said no it is the responsibility of SEHOS but of those who govern this island. In turn, his colleague Michel Berry supporting him, refers to a scandalous situation. Instead of investing locally, millions are being spent on sending patients abroad, even on many occasions without it being necessary, concluded Dr. Berry.
