The Surinamese government has announced ambitious plans to implement a sweeping healthcare sector reform by mid-2026, centered around a comprehensive salary restructuring program designed to ensure better compensation for medical professionals. Health Minister André Misiekaba confirmed that broad consensus has been reached with both the National Hospital Council and labor unions regarding the proposed changes.
The new compensation framework will utilize the wage model of the Academic Hospital Paramaribo as its foundational reference point, which has been accepted by other medical institutions across the country. This approach establishes a unified salary system while allowing for limited variations between different healthcare facilities based on specific institutional requirements.
Beyond salary improvements, the Ministry is addressing critical retention challenges through enhanced secondary benefits. Soaring rental costs have emerged as a significant barrier for nursing staff, prompting the recent establishment of a housing fund with an initial capital injection of SRD 20 million (approximately USD 530,000) to alleviate accommodation pressures.
The reform package also prioritizes tackling the severe shortage of healthcare professionals exacerbated by persistent brain drain. Specialized nursing staff remain particularly scarce, with hospitals now mandated to conduct detailed staffing needs assessments. The government plans to collaborate with international partners to develop targeted solutions that will reduce excessive workloads and improve working conditions across the healthcare system.