Last week, Parliament held a constructive meeting with the Aruba Nurses Association (ODEA). According to Member of Parliament Hendrik Tevreden, this meeting did not only serve to listen to the sector’s concerns, but, more importantly, to hear their vision for the future of nursing in Aruba.
Must invest in people, not just buildings and equipment Tevreden explained that public debates often focus on hospitals, new buildings, technology, and budgets. However, after this meeting, he emphasized that one message was very clear: the greatest investment Aruba must make at this moment is in people. The MP ratified that nurses are the backbone of our health system. They are the professionals who are by the patients’ side 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tevreden recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Aruba clearly saw how indispensable their work is, and he concluded that now that the crisis has passed, the country cannot allow that recognition to fade away.
Tevreden shared that what impacted him most is that ODEA did not focus primarily on salary. He explained that the organization spoke about crucial topics such as professional development, continuing education, quality of care, career growth opportunities, burnout prevention, and better future planning. The MP stressed that these are fundamental issues that ultimately benefit the patient.
The urgent need for data and strategic vision Another important point Tevreden brought forward is that Aruba must start thinking more strategically about its health workforce. We must have insight into fundamental data:
How many nurses will retire in the next ten years?
How many students are we currently training?
In which specializations do we lack professionals? The MP warned that without concrete data and structural planning, Aruba will continue to react to problems instead of preventing them. A fundamental aspect of this vision is that the voice of nursing must be heard more effectively in the process of formulating health policy. Nurses are not simply executors of policy; they live the daily reality of the system, and that practical experience has enormous value for any reform.
Health Vision 2035: A strong system is built with people In this context, the meeting with ODEA represents a key step in building the Aruba Health Vision 2035. This is an integral plan that the country currently lacks, but which is highly necessary to work on a national roadmap that integrates the knowledge, experience, and proposals of all stakeholders in the health sector. The MP emphasized that the goal is not to create a partisan plan, but to contribute to a national vision that puts the patient at the center, strengthens the professionals, and prepares Aruba for the challenges of the next decade. Tevreden concluded by saying that a strong health system is not built only with buildings or modern equipment, nor based on criticism. A truly strong system is built with prepared, motivated professionals who are duly valued for the extraordinary work they perform every day.