SZF Director Harkisoen: “We do not pay for medical referrals abroad”

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The State Health Fund (SZF) is not involved in sending cancer patients or newborns with heart conditions abroad, said General Director Jane Harkisoen in an interview with Suriname suriname. According to her, it is not the SZF that sends patients abroad for medical treatments, but the Ministry of Health.
Harkisoen noted that patients often believe the SZF determines who is sent abroad. Currently, it is likely that around sixteen cancer patients are on the list to urgently travel abroad for treatment. However, patients report that there are no available resources to facilitate their departure.
“We at the SZF do not pay for patients to go abroad. The SZF is only responsible for treatments in Suriname and providing medication,” Harkisoen explained. She emphasized that those needing medical treatment abroad, such as cancer patients or children with severe heart conditions, fall under the Afbouwregeling Medische Uitzendingen Lokale Opbouw Voorziening (Armulov).
The director clarified that the Ministry of Health is responsible for the funding and the process. The treating physician must submit an application to the Armulov department, and a medical committee from the Ministry determines who qualifies for referral. This committee also decides which country the patient will be sent to, based on the condition and the medical expertise available there.
Harkisoen explained that the Ministry of Health covers the costs through the Armulov budget. The SZF provides logistical support, such as arranging visas, accommodations, and appointments with hospitals. “The Ministry is responsible for the payment, even if the patient has SZF insurance. The Ministry has a separate budget for this,” she said.
The SZF director emphasized that the SZF’s budget is exclusively for treatments in Suriname and the provision of medication. “The technical committee approves referrals abroad, and the Ministry of Health handles the financing,” Harkisoen concluded.