Saba News News and Information from Saba Island, Dutch Caribbean
Care and Youth Caribbean Netherlands (ZJCN) reports 6,971 medical referrals in 2025, up from 6,787 in 2024. Referrals occur when residents of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, or Saba need specialist care unavailable locally.
Referrals peaked in 2023 at 7,088, with an unusually high 25% for non-emergency treatments compared to the typical 7%. Numbers stabilized around 7,000 in 2024-2025 after gradually recovering from pandemic-era travel restrictions.
Nearly half of the referred patients are aged 40-65, with women comprising 51-57% of cases. St. Eustatius has the highest referral rate, largely due to kidney dialysis needs. Referrals from St. Eustatius and Saba increased over the past two years, while Bonaire’s decreased.
Most patients from Saba and St. Eustatius go to St. Maarten; Bonaire residents typically travel to Curaçao or Aruba. Radiology represents the largest specialty category, while gynaecology, surgery, and internal medicine saw higher referral rates in 2020.
ZJCN will continue monthly monitoring and publish data at zorgenjeugdcn.nl to inform policy and strengthen partnerships with regional care providers.
RCN
