“Working together on better care for all children, adults and the elderly at Saba”

State Secretary Blokhuis: “Working together on better care for all children, adults and the elderly at Saba”

Saba gets this and next year $ 76,000 extra for public health, totaling $ 152,000.
This is what Secretary of State Paul Blokhuis (Health, Welfare, Sport, VWS) announced today during his visit to Saba. Blokhuis honours this way Saba’s request to be able to use an additional nurse for, for example, healthcare for children. “We want to further strengthen the great strength of society on Saba and the Public Entity”, Blokhuis said. “Saba has experienced a solid development in the social domain, which we like to continue.”

Also announced today, Saba will do more to prevent children and young people from getting in trouble. “By taking early action when things do not go well in a family and by looking for a solution together. To achieve this, two additional persons are appointed. VWS is giving Saba $125,000 a year for the next two years”, Blokhuis said. “But if everything goes well, our aim is to continue this.”

Youth and the elderly.

Furthermore was announced today that Youth Care and Family Guardianship Caribbean Netherlands (JGCN) perform the more specialized youth duties. It has been agreed that the public entity and JGCN will work intensively together to ensure that every child on Saba receives the care it deserves and that nobody falls between two stools.

Blokhuis also said he wants to improve the care for the elderly at home. “We will do this by investing extra in next year in household help, catering, transportation when needed, for example to be able to do groceries, and home modifications. In the coming years, we will make extra efforts with investments to increase the quality of elderly care. More hands are coming to the bed. We are discussing what this will mean exactly for the people here on Saba. ”

More prevention.

According to the State Secretary, a Caribbean Prevention and Sports Agreement must be completed early 2019. VWS and Saba are jointly fighting smoking, overweight and problematic alcohol use, “in a way that fits the Caribbean Netherlands”, according to Blokhuis. “And we will do more to prevent and support in unintentional teen pregnancies. This too must fit in perfectly with what you can best use here on Saba.”

Blokhuis also said that he received a good impression of the island and received a warm welcome. He called it ‘nice to see’ that Saba is also a JOGG (Jongeren op Gezond Gewicht, ed.) municipality. The State Secretary visited the Cruijff Court, amongst others, and also had ‘a beautiful trip’ to Mount Scenery.

“In conclusion, I would like to dwell on medical examination of the population in the Dutch Caribbean”, Blokhuis said. “We have heard worries and critical voices about this in the media. It is not the question whether this comes for everyone in the Caribbean Netherlands, but when it comes. As far as I am concerned, we will continue to work as quickly as possible on the basis of what is already being done on medical research and working well in the Caribbean Netherlands. And we will let the highly experienced Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) monitor and consult closely.”

RCN.