PARAMARIBO, Suriname – Suriname's government says persons insured with the State Health Insurance Fund (SZF) will no longer be required to pay extra for operations and medications that fall under the SZF allowance.
Health Minister, André Misiekaba, addressing the opening of the new health facility“If you have SZF insurance and need to undergo surgery, you will no longer receive an invoice. It goes directly to SZF. Citizens no longer have to worry about co-payments,” Health Minister, André Misiekaba said at the opening of the Medical Assistance GP Emergency Post on Nieuwweergevondenweg on the outskirts of the capital.
Misiekaba said that on assuming office he had been confronted with complaints from patients who, despite having insurance, had to pay high additional fees at the Academic Hospital. He cited examples where the costs were as high as SRD60,000 (One SRD=US$0.02 cents) for an operation, which he described as an unaffordable burden for the average citizen.
As a result, the government says service providers such as hospitals, doctors, and pharmacies are no longer allowed to present invoices directly to patients. Instead, these costs are handled by SZF, so that citizens are no longer under financial pressure.
Misiekaba also announced that the national medication directory will be evaluated and updated in January. He said medications frequently used by society in recent years—such as those used by oncology and diabetes patients—will be added, ensuring they are always available at SZF pharmacies.
The minister said that service providers must adhere to their contractual agreements. If a doctor prescribes a different medication that doesn’t fall under the standard coverage, a limited additional payment may be requested.
Meanwhile, India and Suriname are further strengthening their collaboration in the field of traditional medicine in the lead-up to the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, which will take place in New Delhi from December 17 to 19.
The Indian Embassy in Paramaribo said that the international summit, organized by the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre and the Indian Ministry of Ayurveda, will focus on the integration of traditional knowledge into modern healthcare systems.
It said that India and Suriname will highlight their shared commitment to evidence-based and integrative care.
Both countries have a long history of collaboration in areas such as Ayurveda, capacity building, and institutional development.
This collaboration was formalized in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in January 2020.
In Suriname, this collaboration has taken shape with, among other things, the opening of an Ayurvedic Health Center and a medicinal plant garden in the Saramacca district, as well as the annual celebration of the International Day of Yoga and Ayurveda Day.
