Willemstad, October 27, 2026 – A hospital is a reflection of its community. At Curaçao Medical Center (CMC), healthcare professionals witness firsthand how poverty, domestic violence, homelessness, addiction, and the lack of appropriate care facilities affect patients’ health and recovery. Each year, CMC encounters between 250 and 350 cases involving patients facing social challenges. Some are admitted partly because of their social circumstances, while others face difficulties that only become apparent during hospitalization.
Some situations are heartbreaking. There have been situations where patients remained at CMC for more than a year because no suitable care facility or alternative accommodation was available. Currently, 8 hospitalized patients require support from social workers due to their social circumstances.
Behind these numbers are deeply troubling stories. Patients readmitted because they have no refrigerator at home to store their medication. Victims of domestic violence who cannot safely return home. Homeless individuals, elderly patients waiting for placement in a care home, and people struggling with addiction who have nowhere suitable to go after treatment.
When patients are medically ready for discharge but have nowhere to go, hospital beds remain occupied while other patients urgently need care. This places additional pressure on healthcare professionals, hospital capacity, and financial resources. These social challenges are not the hospital’s responsibility alone. They are a concern for the entire community. Addressing them requires stronger collaboration between government, social organizations, healthcare institutions, and families.
To shed light on this social challenge, CMC has dedicated an episode of its “Puntra un Eksperto” (Ask an Expert) Podcast series to the realities faced by vulnerable patients. In an eye-opening conversation, Lowella Koenraad, CMC’s social worker, and Germaine Gibbs, Communication Manager, discuss the human stories behind the numbers, the impact on patients and hospital care, and the urgent need for sustainable solutions. The episode will air on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, on Curaçao Medical Center’s Facebook page.
Behind every patient is a person, a story, and a life that matters.
