Suriname’s healthcare system has taken a significant step forward with the inauguration of its second General Practitioner Urgent Care Center at Nieuwweergevondenweg 6. Health Minister André Misiekaba officially opened the facility on Saturday, describing it as a crucial component in the government’s broader strategy to enhance healthcare accessibility and gradually strengthen medical services nationwide.
The new center addresses the overwhelming pressure on existing emergency services, particularly the Emergency Department at Paramaribo Academic Hospital (AZP), which handles the most critical and complex cases around the clock. Minister Misiekaba highlighted international models, specifically noting how neighborhood-based facilities in the United States operate their own emergency units to stabilize patients before potential transfers.
Through the Regional Health Service (RGD), Suriname aims to develop a comparable system where urgent care centers manage less acute cases within communities. This approach allows hospital emergency departments to focus on life-threatening situations while patients with non-critical conditions receive treatment closer to home, resulting in more efficient allocation of healthcare resources.
Minister Misiekaba also addressed ongoing staffing challenges, acknowledging that despite recruiting specialized nurses from countries including the Philippines, operating rooms and ICU beds remain limited. To fully restore AZP’s capacity, the government has allocated funds in the 2026 budget to attract additional specialized nursing staff.
A third GP Urgent Care Center in Meerzorg is already in planning stages to accommodate growing demand in the area and improve healthcare access for much of Commewijne district. The minister urged citizens to first utilize their nearest urgent care facility, allowing nurses to determine if hospital referral is necessary—a practice that brings healthcare closer to communities while reducing strain on emergency departments.
The first urgent care center operates at the State Health Fund on Fred Derbystraat. With this second opening, Suriname moves closer to establishing a better distributed, accessible, and community-focused healthcare structure.