Complaints Against Healthcare Institutions – Your Rights and Options
Supervision and Authority
The Ombudsman will soon open its doors to handle complaints. In this context, and in light of recent developments, the Ombudsman wishes to clarify the following.
Complaints can be submitted to the Ombudsman against healthcare institutions and providers; however, this is not possible in all cases.
Complaints can only be submitted directly to the Ombudsman against:
* Healthcare institutions that are (partially or fully) subsidized by the government, such as ImSan, the Dr. Horacio Oduber Hospital, and SABA;
* Healthcare institutions that are not subsidized but carry out tasks related to child and youth healthcare.
Note: The Ombudsman does not handle complaints concerning medical errors. For complaints about medical conduct, the Medical Disciplinary Board is the competent authority.
Other Complaints with the IVA
Anyone can always file a complaint. In Aruba, all healthcare providers fall under the supervision of the Inspectorate of Public Health Aruba (IVA). This means that regardless of whether an institution is subsidized or not, a complaint can always be submitted to the IVA.
Legal Obligation for a Complaints Procedure
Since January 1, 2019, all healthcare providers are legally required to have a complaints procedure. This requirement is laid down in the National Ordinance on Quality in Healthcare (AB 2014, no. 74), specifically in articles 9 through 13.
Procedure for Filing Complaints
To file a complaint, one must first contact the institution itself, which is legally required to have a complaints procedure in place.
If the complaint is not resolved satisfactorily, a complaint may then be filed with the Inspectorate of Public Health Aruba via www.iva.aw.
The Role of the Ombudsman Aruba
The Ombudsman assesses complaints based on standards of good governance, such as diligence, respect, transparency, and consideration for human dignity.
For institutions where the Ombudsman has direct authority—such as ImSan, the Dr. Horacio Oduber Hospital, and SABA—once you have filed a complaint with the institution and it has been given the opportunity to address it, you may subsequently submit a complaint to the Ombudsman.
For institutions where the Ombudsman does not have direct authority—such as private care homes and other private healthcare providers—you may file a complaint with the IVA after first submitting it to the institution itself.
If you are not satisfied with how the IVA has handled your complaint, you may then file a complaint with the Ombudsman, but in that case against the IVA regarding its handling of your complaint.
On December 1, 2025, the Ombudsman Office of Aruba will officially open its doors. This marks an important step toward greater transparency and legal protection for citizens.
Press release: Bureau Ombudsman Aruba