AZP recruits international professionals

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The Academic Hospital Paramaribo (AZP) is facing a shortage of nursing staff, particularly in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). To address this issue, the hospital is now taking steps to recruit foreign nurses. According to Director Claudia Marica-Redan, this measure is essential, as the hospital cannot resolve the shortage without external support.
The hospital has also launched various internal training programs to mitigate the shortages. A total of three cohorts, each with 30 participants, have begun training in fields such as Intensive Care (IC), Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU), Emergency Care (ER), and radiodiagnostics. Operating Room (OR) staff are also undergoing training. Nurses from the Philippines and Cuba have been recruited and are set to start working at the hospital in January 2025.
Additionally, the shortage of operating room assistants is being addressed, as 50% of OR assistants from various hospitals have migrated abroad. Amadu Juliana, Chairperson of the Medical Staff Board (MSB), stated that the hospital, in collaboration with the union Algemene Bond van Personeel in dienst van het Academisch Ziekenhuis Paramaribo (ABPLAZ), management, and the government, is working on implementing a new salary scale for the staff.
Although efforts to adjust the salary scale by the end of 2024 were unsuccessful, Juliana emphasized that negotiations with the government would continue. These measures aim to ensure the quality of care and resolve staffing shortages. The training programs will continue into 2025 to drive further improvements.