WILLEMSTAD – Minister of Health, Environment and Nature, Javier Silvania, has announced government intervention at the Algemeen Diagnostisch Centrum (ADC) amid mounting financial problems that threaten Curaçao’s healthcare system.
A special task force established by the minister concluded that ADC’s financial situation has become critical. The laboratory’s income and expenses have long been out of balance, losses continue to grow, debt levels are increasing, and its equity position has turned negative. In addition, limited cash flow has made healthy operations nearly impossible.
Vital Role in Healthcare
“ADC, as the National Laboratory, fulfills a vital role in Curaçao’s society,” said Silvania. The center is responsible for essential services such as blood transfusions, 24/7 emergency diagnostics, and forensic testing. “If ADC is unable to carry out its tasks for economic or other reasons, this will have an immediate negative impact on healthcare in Curaçao.”
The minister warned that no other laboratory on the island is capable of immediately taking over these tasks. “The consequences would be particularly problematic for secondary healthcare services,” he added.
Temporary Financial Manager Appointed
To stabilize operations, ADC will bring in a temporary financial manager tasked with fully assessing its financial position and implementing urgent corrective measures. The plan will focus on both short-term recovery and long-term sustainability.
Silvania also held discussions with the labor union to protect employees from bearing the brunt of the crisis. As a temporary arrangement, staff will receive a lump-sum payment in 2025 and 2026. Once ADC regains financial health, management and the union will negotiate a new collective labor agreement.
Call for Unity
The minister appealed to ADC employees to support the recovery effort. “It is in the interest of Curaçao’s residents, of ADC as an organization, and of its management and staff that the laboratory’s finances are restored to order,” Silvania emphasized.
The intervention is aimed at ensuring that critical healthcare services remain uninterrupted while structural reforms are put in place to safeguard ADC’s long-term future.
