Minister Mrs. Drs. Melvin Wyatt-Ras participated in the official launch of the Multidisciplinary Diabetes Care Project in Aruba, an initiative that strengthens cooperation between different health professionals to provide more coordinated, accessible, and personalized care to people with type 2 diabetes.
During her speech, Minister Wyatt-Ras emphasized that diabetes is a major public health challenge in Aruba. She indicated that good diabetes care goes beyond treatment alone, and that prevention, guidance, and continuity are essential to achieving better outcomes for the patient.
The pilot project is the result of a collaboration between the Department of Public Health (DVG), IMSAN, AZV, Dr. Horacio Oduber Hospital (HOH), general practitioners (family doctors), and various healthcare professionals. The goal of the initiative is to improve coordination between different disciplines in healthcare to provide more effective, personalized, and closer support to the patient.
In Aruba, approximately 11% of the population lives with diabetes. With this multidisciplinary care model, patients will benefit from guidance, support, and continuity of care provided by a team that includes an internist, a diabetes nurse, a dietitian, a social worker, a specialized diabetic care pedicurist, and other relevant professionals.
The pilot program will last one year. During this period, various healthcare professionals will work together to monitor the patients’ progress and help them achieve better control of their condition, with the goal of preventing future complications.
During the ceremony, several representatives of the involved partners shared information about the project and its importance to public health. Mrs. Esther Vermeulen from DVG presented the project and its main objectives. Subsequently, Dr. Karina Kelly, an internist at HOH, shared her specialist perspective on diabetes care and the value of a multidisciplinary model in treating the condition. Dr. Monica Nuboer, Interim Medical Director of IMSAN, highlighted IMSAN’s role in executing the pilot project. Mrs. Judelca Briceño from DVG focused on the importance of working together to achieve better results for the patients. The ceremony concluded with remarks from Minister Mrs. Drs. Melvin Wyatt-Ras.
The pilot program is intended for a specific group of people with type 2 diabetes. Individuals between 18 and 69 years old with an HbA1c level above 53 and a BMI over 25 can consult with their general practitioner or POH (General Practice Assistant) to determine if they qualify to participate.
Minister Wyatt-Ras expressed her gratitude to all the partners who contributed to the realization of this initiative, including DVG, IMSAN, HOH, AZV, family doctors, healthcare professionals, TWO Aruba, and TWO Netherlands.
This initiative was developed and implemented thanks to close cooperation between the various partners involved, with support from the Temporary Work Organization (TWO) Netherlands. With this launch, Aruba takes an important step toward a more integrated healthcare system, where the patient is central and multidisciplinary care contributes to better well-being for our community.
