Dutch Caribbean Heart Days 2027
Three days of cardiology updates in Curaçao, held together with the Netherlands Heart Days.
Renaissance Wind Creek Curaçao Resort
Poverty and health: A societal introspection urgency
From November 13, 2026 17:00
until November 14, 2026 18:00
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Categories: Symposium
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The link between poverty and health is one of the most critical structural challenges of modern society, acting not as a series of isolated individual misfortunes, but as a compounding, cyclical systemic failure. This relationship demands an urgent societal introspection into how economic inequality directly dictates biological outcomes, life expectancy, and human dignity. The relationship between economic status and health is bi-directional, creating a self-reinforcing trap that is difficult to escape without systemic intervention. We will focus on the fact that poverty causes ill health but also that ill health causes poverty. We further venture into the structural drivers of health (including social determinants of health and access barriers)
Several speakers will address this important topic from different perspectives: youth care, elderly care, mental health care. Careful consideration of the relationship of poverty and healthcare is also on the agenda of important advisory and oversight (governmental) institutes like the Inspectorate of Health of Aruba and the Advisory Council of Curaçao, and both institutes will share their view. Finally, we will hear more of the ideas, views, and visions of the younger generation of skilled professionals active on the island on this critical topic. We will finalize with a critical assessment panel providing valuable take-home messages.
Societal introspection demands that we stop viewing health disparities as unfortunate side effects of a market economy, and instead recognize them as preventable injustices that require immediate, structural reform.
LEARNING GOALS
- Realizing the importance of (effectively) addressing poverty to ensure a just and effective health system.
- To accept that by solving the poverty issue we can guarantee a much better (public) health environment for our community and citizens.
- The reality of poverty in different population groups and the (local) challenges observed.
- How to better advocate for solving the ever growing poverty issue (in healthcare).
- Understanding the views on poverty of the future generations.
TARGET AUDIENCE
- Health professionals
- Other professionals
- Policy makers
- General public
Weerleggen van Grenzen 2026
[toggle open="true" title="Friday, November 13th, 2026 - Session 1"]
| From - To | Subject | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty: a crucial health determinant | Chairman: Prof. Dr. A. J. Duits | |
| 6:30 - 7:00 PM | Registration (coffee/tea & snacks@ arrival) | |
| 7:00 - 7:45 PM | Poverty and health: The Urgency for Societal Introspection |
Prof. Dr. A. J. Duits |
| 7:45 - 8:30 PM | Poverty and planetary health: A societal and intersectional introspection | Prof. Dr. A. Bailey |
| 8:30 - 9:00 PM |
Discussion |
Prof. Dr. A. J. Duits |
| 9:00 - 9:05 PM | Closure |
[/toggle]
[toggle open="true" title="Saturday, November 14th, 2026 - Session 2"]
| From - To | Subject | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Poverty: Getting poverty on the health agenda | Chairman: Prof. Dr. A. J. Duits |
| 8:00 - 8:30 AM | Registration | |
| 8:30 - 9:15 AM | An integrated economic lens for approaching poverty and health | Prof. Dr. J. Mierau |
| 9:15 - 9:45 AM | How we build is how we live: development, poverty and health in Curaçao | Ir. Z. Gerstenbluth |
| 9:45 - 10:15 AM | Coffee break | |
| 10:15 - 10:45 AM | The importance of addressing poverty in youth care (a Curaçao perspective) | Drs. T. Rodriguez |
| 10:45 - 11:15 AM | The impact of poverty: a local geriatrician’s perspective from daily care | Drs. J. Daal |
| 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM | The impact of poverty: assessing the home situation for elderly care | Drs. E. Johanns |
| 12:00 - 12:30 PM | Discussion | |
| 12:30 - 1:30 PM | Lunch Break (Own account) |
[/toggle]
[toggle open="true" title="Saturday, November 14, 2026 - Session 3"]
| From - To | Subject | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Addressing poverty: Institutional challenges | Chairman: Prof. Dr. A. J. Duits | |
| 1:30 - 1:45 PM | Registration | |
| 1:45 - 2:30 PM | Mental health: a poverty consequence requiring more than medication and therapy alone | Drs. G. Thomas |
| 2:30 - 3:00 PM | Poverty as an important barrier for healthcare accessibility: the evolving role of the inspectorate of health |
Drs. Ch. Fingal/ Drs. D. Lopez-Penha |
| 3:00 - 3:30 PM | Curaçao Council of Advice: putting poverty on the governmental (health) agenda |
Mr. Dr. J. Sybesma |
| 3:30 - 3:45 PM | Tea break | |
| Poverty: ethical challenges for future generations | Chairman: Prof. Dr. A. J. Duits | |
| 3:45 - 4:15 PM | Defining solidarity for effectively addressing the impact of poverty on health | Drs. S. Gerstenbluth |
| 4:15 - 4:30 PM | Poverty: a medical student perspective (panel) | Clerkship Council |
| 4:30 - 4:45 PM | Poverty and health: The Urgency for Societal Introspection; Concluding remarks |
[/toggle]
Pending
SPEAKERS:
- Prof. dr. A. Bailey, UMC, Utrecht and Utrecht University
- Prof. dr. J. Mierau, Prodecaan Onderzoek UMCG
- Ir. Z. Gerstenbluth, Civieltechnisch Ingenieur
- Drs. Th. Rodriguez, Jeugdarts, Min. Gezondheid, Milieu en Natuur
- Drs. J. Daal, Klinisch Geriater, Curacao Medical Center
- Drs. E. Johanns, Specialist Ouderengeneeskunde, Betesda
- Drs. G. Thomas, Psychiater, Curacao Medical Center
- Drs. Ch. Fingal (Inspecteur Volksgezondheid)/ Drs. D. Lopez-Penha (Inspecteur Generaal)
- Inspectie Volksgezondheid Aruba
- Mr. Dr. J. Sybesma, Jurist/Bioloog, Raad voor Advies Curaçao
- Drs. S. Gerstenbluth, Master in International Development & Humanitarian Emergencies
- Clerkship Council: co-raad
SPEAKERS:
- MD, GP, Managers & others $ 75.00
- Nurses & Paramedics $ 37.50
