Curaçao and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization have launched the development of the country’s first PAHO/WHO Country Cooperation Strategy for 2026–2031. The initiative will create a shared roadmap for improving public health, strengthening healthcare services and promoting well-being across the island.
The strategy was discussed during a two-day national consultation in Willemstad on 16 July 2026. The event brought together 52 representatives from government agencies, healthcare institutions, civil society organisations, academia and development partners.
The consultation was organised by PAHO/WHO in collaboration with Curaçao’s Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature. It was officially opened by Governor Mauritsz de Kort, Minister of Health, Environment and Nature Tyron Boekhoudt and Secretary General Sharlon Melfor.
PAHO was represented by Dr Gabriel Vivas Francesconi, PAHO/WHO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago and the Dutch Caribbean Islands, along with technical experts and advisers from the organisation.
Dr Vivas described the consultation as the beginning of a new chapter in the partnership between Curaçao and PAHO. Although PAHO has supported Curaçao for more than a decade, the new Country Cooperation Strategy will provide the first formal framework for aligning technical assistance with the country’s national health priorities.
The strategy is being developed at a time when Curaçao is facing increasing pressure from noncommunicable diseases, an ageing population, climate-related health risks, workforce shortages and rising demand for healthcare services.
Participants discussed opportunities to strengthen healthcare resilience, improve access to essential services and develop more people-centred systems of care. The discussions were guided by Curaçao’s Blue Wave vision, which highlights the connection between healthy people, strong communities and a healthy environment.
Stakeholders agreed on several priority areas for future cooperation. These include strengthening integrated and climate-resilient primary healthcare, improving the prevention and treatment of communicable and noncommunicable diseases, expanding mental health support and building more sustainable and efficient health systems.
The consultation also emphasised that health is a shared responsibility. Participants recognised that health outcomes are influenced not only by medical services but also by education, social protection, economic development and environmental conditions.
Curaçao’s new strategy forms part of PAHO’s broader efforts across the Caribbean to help governments and partners coordinate health priorities, advance universal health coverage and support sustainable development.
The Country Cooperation Strategy will bring institutions, communities and development partners together under a common vision. It is expected to guide collective action toward a healthier, more resilient and more equitable future for everyone in Curaçao.
