suriname

Country: Suriname

Capital City: Paramaribo

Area: 63,251 sq mile

Total population: 597,927 (July 2018)

Median age (years): 32.47

Annual population growth: 1,18%

Literacy rate:15 years: 95%

Population under 15 years: 26%

Population over 60 years: 12%

Life expectancy Male: 71.02 years

Life expectancy Female: 75.88years

Paramaribo, OCTOBER 11, 2022 (MIC) -

'In-depth evaluation of Covid-19 approach necessary'

After more than two years of restricting citizens' freedom of movement, daily life in Suriname is virtually back to normal after the government lifted the COVID-19 restrictions in April this year. The infectious long disease has claimed the lives of 1,385 people and has weighed heavily on the country's health care system, business community, social life and economy. Opinions are divided on the extent to which the government has adequately addressed the COVID-19 crisis and to what extent the country is prepared for a similar crisis in the health care system.

According to the then Minister of Finance and Planning, Armand Achaibersing, who just recently stepped down, Suriname will have to take a moment to carry out a thorough evaluation of what happened during the pandemic and how things have been handled. “Because, I have the impression that we have entered a business as usual mode. I think we should use Covid as an opportunity to properly evaluate and prepare for possible new things we face," said the minister. This should apply to the entire region and, in his view, should be placed on the Caricom agenda. He argues that in Caricom many countries have been hit harder than Suriname, especially those countries that are almost completely dependent on tourism. “I think this should be on Caricom's agenda to create some sort of master plan that we can pull out of the drawer if we are faced with something like this again and then work together to mitigate such cases,” Achaibersing said.

Financing

Suriname has received a lot of help from the international community in dealing with the pandemic. That help cannot be fully expressed in money, says Minister Achaibersing. “What Covid has brought about is that a large part of the economy has been shut down by the lockdowns etcetera and in particular certain sectors. The tourism sector, for example, has been hit pretty hard. So income of companies and people has been jeopardized as a result and the government has had to support there”. The minister further notes that Covid has been "new". According to him, preliminary evaluations show that the approach “could have been better”. “We did what we thought we had to do by supporting individuals, but also providing corporate tax support and creating facilities so that we could bridge that covid period.”

According to Minister Achaibersing, Covid-19 has also put considerable pressure on healthcare. Normal care had to be exchanged for Covid care. “And it has required quite a bit of investment in addition to the pressure that has been on the caregivers themselves and I have deep respect for that”. He emphasizes that the pandemic has had quite a negative impact on the economy. To finance the response to the pandemic, the government has made two draws totaling just over SRD 900 million from the Central Bank of Suriname. In addition, there have been donations from friendly countries and international organizations. “Slightly over SRD 900 million has been spent on tackling Covid”.

It is not clear how much money Suriname has received from other countries and organizations. The balance has not yet been drawn up. The minister argues that much aid cannot be expressed in money. As an example, he mentions the provision by the Netherlands of an oxygen factory, technicians, vaccines, medicines and medical personnel.

International aid

Suriname has tried to arm itself against the crisis at an early stage after the outbreak of the pandemic. As the pandemic highlighted the gaps in the country's health system, the government acted quickly to drive its response, engaging partners, reaching remote communities through primary health care and building a strong foundation for universal health coverage. In the most remote villages where indigenous communities reside people needed access to effective primary health care. This according to Paho was just one of the many challenges that Suriname's health system faced. COVID-19 has further highlighted its small health workforce: just eight physicians and 23 nurses per 10,000 people, health infrastructure that was still being developed and limited emergency response capacity, among others.

Since the start of 2020, WHO, through the UHC Partnership, has expanded its support in strengthening Suriname's health system with the goal of helping the country achieve universal health coverage. With funding from the European Union, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Irish Aid, the Government of Japan, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the UK Department for International Development and Belgium, the Partnership has been supporting work in four main areas: saving lives, protecting health care workers, slowing the spread of the virus and strengthening epidemic intelligence. Suriname’s experience in preparing for COVID-19 and its urgent actions to keep its population safe has also brought a unique opportunity to chart a new path for public health in the country. WHO pledged to continue to support Suriname in building a resilient health system and to develop and maintain capacities to prevent, detect and respond to future outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics. During the pandemic PAHO/WHO supported Suriname in advancing preparedness and response capacities. The Central Laboratory of the Bureau of Public Health/Bureau for Public Health (BOG) was provided reagents for molecular testing. Laboratory technologists were trained in conducting screening and confirmatory tests for COVID-19.

On a bilateral level, Suriname has also received help from friendly nations, including the US. The US Southern Command played an important role in that aid. “In 2021, we donated a Field Hospital to Suriname to help mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Helping to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic would be an important mutual endeavor. The pandemic has taken a heavy toll throughout our hemisphere, straining healthcare systems, interrupting food availability and supply chains, depleting economies, and killing tens of thousands of our citizens. We must all work together to restore healthcare and economic infrastructure to better serve the people of our region," said US SouthCom's commander, general Laura J. Richardson.

Reflecting on the U.S. response in cooperation with Suriname, Jacqueline Moore, the US embassy spokeswoman, said that from the very start of the pandemic to now, the United States has worked closely with the government of Suriname and international and local organizations to exchange information, supplies, and equipment.  “As medication and vaccines became available, we were able to send those as well.  At all times the cooperation was good, and we are pleased that it continues today on other programs.  We believe that this cooperation has strengthened the working relationship between our two countries and created a foundation for future ties between us,” she said.

Moore added that after the February 14, 2020 announcement that COVID-19 had arrived in Suriname, the United States made it a top priority to help Suriname combat COVID-19.  For instance, the U.S. government donated over 360,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine; U.S. Southern Command  and the U.S. Embassy donated over US$ 650,000 worth of COVID-19 equipment and supplies to the government of Suriname; the U.S. Embassy donated $ 50,000 worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) to Suriname’s Ministry of Education and turned over US$ 15,000 worth of PPE to Suriname’s Ministry of Health. The embassy official further noted that U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provided Suriname’s PAHO office COVID-19 PPE for the Regional Health Department, including room dividers, chairs, safety goggles, reservoir bags, masks, and 33 full oxygen tanks and their regulators, hook connections, and humidifiers. In July 2021, SOUTHCOM provided a 40-bed field hospital and accompanying equipment valued at over US$ 1 million, while USSAID provided Suriname’s PAHO office US$ 185,000 in 2020 to assist it with risk communication, infection prevention, and COVID-19 control and case management. USAID also provided the country’s UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) office US$ 36,100 in 2020 to support efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 through its programs concerning infection prevention and control and water, sanitation, and hygiene. Also through the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program the U.S. Embassy provided virtual and on-site education training of three leaders from the COVAB Nursing College leading to new partnerships with nursing training programs in the U.S. with the goal of strengthening Suriname’s health care system. The spokeswoman added that the U.S. Department of Justice provided virtual training for representatives of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice and Police on combating the distribution and sale of counterfeit vaccines and medicines covering the experiences of the pharmaceutical industry in dealing with these frauds and the behavior patterns of offenders. USAID in collaboration with PAHO also assisted Suriname to expand COVID-19 vaccination sites from 11 to 23 in the coastal areas.

With the accent on building more awareness USAID collaborated with development partners and developed messaging to dispel myths and generate vaccine demand in six local languages reaching more than 400,000 people in Suriname. Also with U.S. funding and support, the International Atomic Energy Agency provided Suriname with US$ 390,000 worth of COVID-19-related diagnostic and biosafety equipment to Suriname, Moore said. Since the pandemic is not over yet there are several assistance and cooperation efforts in collaboration with the Suriname government and local entities ongoing to boost the country’s health system further.

Moore believes that the assistance from the U.S. was well-received in Suriname. “Most certainly it was well-received.  We worked closely with the Government of Suriname to try to assess the country’s needs and to provide what aid we could give.  We worked with international and local organizations to ensure that we reached as many people as possible.  Surinamese of all backgrounds often stopped the Ambassador or other Embassy staff during their everyday activities to thank them for their support, particularly after the vaccine and field hospital donations.  We continue to work with the government and other organizations to address preparedness for future pandemics as well as to fight COVID-19,” she said. 

In the event of global issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the embassy official noted, that the U.S. government bilateral approach is coordinated in the context of the global situation.  “Governments around the world and international health organizations learned a great deal from this pandemic and all are adjusting strategies, but specific steps will always be informed by the specific crisis.  In the case of COVID-19, we feel that the cooperation between our countries is successful.  Global health threats do not respect borders, so we must continue to work together to eliminate future threats,” said Moore.

She added, that the United States continues to work with international partners to end the acute phase of the pandemic and strengthen the capacity of developing countries to prevent, prepare for, and respond to future global health threats.  This is why the United States strongly advocated for a new international Financial Intermediary Fund for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response, including a US$ 450 million pledge.

At the time of publication of this article, a total of 81,114 people in Suriname had become infected and 49,629 had been declared completely cured. In total, 1,385 people have succumbed to the effects of Covid-19. According to figures from the health authorities, 55.6 percent of the target population is fully vaccinated. On April 13, the gathering ban was completely lifted, and sanitary measures such as hand washing and mouth-nose coverings became urgent advice. The measures that applied to the entry policy and border passages were adjusted and the airspace was reopened. All commercial and private events were allowed again from the aforementioned date.

One of the sectors that has been hit hard by the pandemic is tourism. “Tourism has suffered heavy losses as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid has dealt a huge blow to the tourism sector,” said Rabin Buddha, director of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Tourism. “The damage Covid has done to the resorts has left the industry crying out for support,” he added. Together with a local bank, financing options are now being created for the holiday resorts to get their accommodations and operations back up to standard.

Opinions differ

Public health physician and public health practitioner Ruben del Prado is also not completely satisfied with the way in which the crisis has been handled. He believes that the way the government has tackled this issue should be split into two periods: before the elections on 25 May 2020 and after when a new government takes office. Being one of the government advisors during the pre-election period Del Prado argues that the public health factors, epidemiology and science behind Covid-19 “at that time was a lot more consistent with good public health practices”. Especially the communication part. “It was a beautiful mix of public health practitioners, even military. There were very serious people, who were high-ranking military persons, involved in the Outbreak Management Team. Del Prado stressed that there was a good balance between communication and good public health practices and a very strong hand on the measures that had to be taken by the people. “After the election we have got a total revamping of the Ministry of Health with people who are currently the minister of Health who are less public health savvy. There is also a sense of arrogance. There is a feeling in the country that Covid-19 is over.” According to the critic there is a stark distinction between management of Covid post-election as before election.

Del Prado further argues that things could have been done differently. He noted that at the start of the pandemic there was too little information, but when vaccines became available the Outbreak Management Team at that time was very clear about vaccination. “It was a no nonsense regime, that too had weakened a lot over the past months. Currently only Sinopharm vaccines are available, Del Prado said. People are not at all encouraged anymore to get vaccinations. He believes that strong public health leadership is needed “based on science”. Also much better communications is needed. “I think that the people who are the policy makers have to get a little bit of their high horse and do what has to be done, with no-nonsense”. He further noticed that the key partners for good public health practices are the media and professional communicators.

An important component that, according to him, is missing in Suriname's response to the pandemic is true community engagement and true partnership with the communities, community organizations and responsible leadership of the communities. Currently there is more of a top-down authoritarian approach. He is of the opinion that the competencies of society are not tapped into by the authorities. “I'm not sure that Suriname is at all ready for another massive outbreak of anything infectious. I'm worried. The health system of Suriname is crumbling,” Del Prado said, referring to the departure of numerous health professionals, nurses, specialists and general practitioners abroad. ‘I am extremely worried that a health system that could be seen and was ranked as one of the best in the Americas is no longer there and a lot has to do with just plain bad management.”

Although there is a certain satisfaction in government circles about how the Covid-19 crisis has been handled, there are people who would have liked the approach differently. Despite the experience gained over the past two years, according to food technologist and university lecturer, Ricky Stuttgard, Suriname is not prepared for a similar health care crisis in the future. "Several experts should have been brought together to put together a plan of action, but that hasn't happened," he says. According to Stuttgard, a fierce critic of the government's Covid-19 policy, the pandemic has brought only one positive development for Suriname: the establishment of the food delivery service.

Stuttgard firmly believes that the Covid-19 pandemic was a scheme by the major pharmaceutical companies and the WHO to gain more control over the world's population. He notes that more than half a million people worldwide die every year from the common flu, which has been the case for decades, but nothing is said about it. He also points out the thousands of people who die every year as a result of taking wrong medicines and wrong medical diagnoses. Every year, 6 million people worldwide die from tobacco use, the number 1 preventable cause of death. “However, the harmful associations of smoking with health are not limited to those who smoke, but they also affect those nearby who do not smoke. So those exposed to secondhand smoke. In total, 603,000 people died as a result of secondhand smoke, which 1.0% of the number of deaths worldwide. In this case too, governments are silent in all languages. So there was clearly a secret agenda to work out in the case of Covid," says the food technologist.

According to Stuttgard, the Surinamese government, like many countries, has deliberately done things wrong. The working method of the Netherlands was copied to the letter. The government has implemented a draconian policy which has included: introducing curfews, partial and total lockdowns: closing government offices, private companies, schools, markets, gyms and restriction of human rights. “Curfew violators were dealt with harshly and sometimes even to the point of bleeding,” he said. Stuttgard further noticed that introduction of the sanitary measures including washing hands and covering nose and mouth “made no sense”. “All these measures have resulted in: education being completely disrupted; economic and social life has been destroyed; large parts of the Surinamese population are highly impoverished: the middle class has completely disappeared”. 

Stuttgard also believes that the mainstream media has failed and that doctors and many union leaders have kept looking the other way purely for their own narrow advantage. Furthermore employers shown their bad side while the Ministry of Labor “turns out to be just a toothless tiger”. Many companies have gone out of business and none of the government departments have worried about how the salaries of these people will be paid, Stuttgard claims. For example, he said, musicians and artistes have never received financial compensation. The government was never concerned how they would pay their fixed costs of living, how they would provide food and clothing for their families. Numerous companies have gone bankrupt, he said.

The draconian measures should never have been applied, he said, because they caused more harm than good. "Vaccination, I call it injecting, was never made mandatory by the various ministries and private companies. The Ministry of Health was never allowed to oppose the non-Western traditional medicine, which has also shown its role. Covid is a flu virus and a virus can only be fought by the immune system starting to function properly, because it is the immune system that has to recognize the virus and then produce antibodies to fight it." This means that the government had to provide permanent information to advise the population to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The government had to ensure that vegetables, meat and meat products, fish and fish products, egg and egg products, milk and milk products and poultry had to be available and affordable. Stuttgard: "That's why markets and gyms had to stay open anyway. Precautions had to be taken for the risk groups, which are senior citizens in homes, people with chronic diseases, etc."

According to him, a weakness of Suriname is that everything is literally taken over from abroad. There is no self-thought about measures. Commands are given from an ivory tower. "Another obvious weakness is that the family, relatives, friends and colleagues relationships have turned out to be a farce. Also, we are not as people-friendly as every tourist was told. We have only become strong with the delivery boys, who bring food to our doorsteps. Nothing more," is the harsh verdict of food technologist Stuttgard.

Paramaribo, May 31, 2022 (MIC) -

Surinamese business community is slowly recovering after pandemic shock

Slowly but surely, the business community in Suriname is picking up the shards left behind by the COVID-19 pandemic. The restrictive measures announced by the government in connection with the pandemic have been lifted for several weeks. The business community, including the construction sector, is rebounding after the heavy blows that have been received for two years. As well as numerous developing countries, COVID-19 has also exposed systemic weaknesses in various segments of society in Suriname. The contagious lung disease has had a major impact on both the government, health institutions and the business community, but also on other groups such as sports and associations.

“COVID-19 has not warned anyone. No one was prepared for it and the impact was immediately massive. It surprised us all at once. As a country, we were not prepared for it,” said Farsi Khudabux, president of the General Contractors Association (AAV). He is also the CEO of Baitali Group of Companies, one of the largest construction companies in Suriname, with a workforce of approximately 750 people. The biggest impact the pandemic has had on his business has been in health management, as the organization was not equipped for it. The same was true for other construction companies. Khudabux adds that Suriname was already battling a financial-economic crisis at the time of COVID-19. The pandemic has made the situation much worse. “It caught us by surprise and the impact was immediately huge.”

The CEO says at one point that he had the feeling that instead of a construction company, he was in charge of a hospital. Every day a situation arose at work that had to be solved one way or the other. “It no longer had to do with how many bricks, how much concrete you needed or what project you were doing, but how many workers got sick and how you take them in,” he describes the situation on some days. As a responsible employer, there was no choice but to care for sick employees, or those in quarantine. As the country's entire health care system came under immense strain and even threat of collapse, Baitali Group had to go to great lengths to not only provide sick employees with the care they needed, but also keep the company running as best as possible. Private healthcare clinics were hired and entire hotel wings were booked to house and nurse infected workers. At times, barely 50 percent of the workforce was available. Despite the pressure, the company has never come to a complete standstill. Khudabux points out that some construction companies have lost their entire workforce, had to close their doors, and have not opened yet.

All companies in the sector had low turnover during the pandemic because they worked with smaller shifts of workers. Companies that are under contract with multinationals in the mining sector, among others, often had to work with halved teams due to the rules that applied to those companies. “We have all been running on survival mode,” said the AAV chairman.

Melanie Benjamin, an entrepreneur who operates a small breakfast and lunch restaurant and catering service, barely survived the pandemics. She says her company has survived simply because she is in the food sector and these companies were allowed to continue to operate, while in other sectors companies had to close due to government measures. As the pandemic lasted longer, she reduced her production - sandwiches and meals - because more and more people stayed at home and companies closed, resulting in fewer orders being placed. First, she cut production by 25 percent, followed by 50 percent. At one point, Benjamin’s sales had fallen by at least 75 percent, and she was still left with unsold products. “Before Covid I used to buy certain quantity of sandwiches and sometimes when it wasn't enough, I had more brought in. During Covid I first reduced by 25 percent. Then it turned out that there were still a lot of sandwiches left. I then reduced by 50 percent and still that was too much. At one point I was left with at least 50 percent less than what I sold before Covid," says the entrepreneur. Covid-19 struck when her company was on the rise because it had recently started delivering lunches for companies. Benjamin says that although sales had fallen by as much as 75 percent during the pandemic at one point, she has always made sure to pay the salaries of her seven employees. “During that period, we couldn't save or put anything aside. Some months I couldn't take my own salary, but I made sure that my staff could be paid," says the entrepreneur.

Now that the economy has reopened, the influx of consumers is increasing again, and Benjamin can build up a reserve again. Her company's turnover is currently at 50 percent of before Covid. “We were able to keep our heads above water because we were still allowed to sell at the door and delivery was allowed. I found the periods of total lockdowns when all businesses had to close, the hardest when even that was also not allowed," says Benjamin. She is happy that her company survived the crisis. She indicates that several companies in the same industry as her have gone out of business.

President of the Suriname Horeca Association Horeca (VHS), Jonathan Martodihardjo, acknowledges, like Benjamin, that the hospitality sector has been hit very hard. Because the borders and airspace were closed for almost two years, no tourists came, but local people also went out less because of the lockdowns and curfews, says Martodihardjo. He adds that with the onset of Covid-19, many entrepreneurs, including himself, have been unable to estimate how long the crisis could last. "They have not been able to estimate and plan, which has cost a lot of entrepreneurs dearly because they thought the pandemic would pass quickly." The debt that entrepreneurs have had to incur is enormous and some have been forced to close their doors and eventually give up. Martodihardjo, who owns two restaurants, an apartment complex, and supplies goods to the hospitality industry, says his company has been able to survive by cutting operating costs significantly. Among other things, he had to lay off several workers because there was almost no turnover and income. In addition, several employees left on their own. Salaries were also cut. “My entire business has been affected”. Now the hospitality sector is faced with another problem: shortage of workers. People who were made redundant or who left during the pandemic have found work in other sectors. What also plays a role is that the production rhythm from before the pandemic has not been restored yet by employees who have stayed. “People who only had to bake two or three burgers a day during the pandemic now must turn fifty and more per shift and that is not increasing at a pace. People are less active and that is now a major challenge," said the VHS chairman. In addition, the hospitality companies that have a staff shortage exert a great suction force on each other. The few workers who have remained leave overnight for catering establishments where higher salaries and amenities are offered.

According to Martodihardjo, hardly any financial support has been received from the government. Although the government had set up a special emergency fund to support the business community, few companies received financial support. “You had to declare a lot of details and submit your entire accounting before you were eligible for a dime. Unnecessarily high barriers were raised by the government, because of the red tape most companies did not apply”. According to him, the efforts you had to make as a company did not outweigh the meager amount that was paid out if a company was eligible. Martodihardjo said that, very few companies have therefore applied. Companies that wanted to register for the bridging finances had to do so via the tax authorities. On several occasions, government representatives had indicated that only companies that had their tax affairs in order would be eligible for government aid. A preliminary evaluation by the VSH shows that the influx of tourists is increasing and that local citizens are also eating out again. However, Martodihardjo believes that although the hospitality sector has gained experience, it is very difficult for entrepreneurs to prepare for a situation such as that which prevailed during the pandemic. “You just can't prepare for a pandemic because the impact isn't just for the sector, and if multiple sectors and actually the entire economy are affected, you may be as well prepared as you can, you won't last long," says the chairman of the catering association.

What has helped many companies, including contractors, survive, says AAV chairman Khudabux, is that the banks made short-term COVID-19 loans available at non-commercial interest rates. “We were able to make good use of that, because expenditure such as wages and fixed costs continued, while revenues had fallen”. According to the chairman, this has ensured that most construction companies have survived. He believes the situation is back to normal.

As a positive effect, the pandemic has resulted in the introduction of new sanitation measures at many companies. What Kudhabux finds less is the low willingness to vaccinate among the population and also among workers, partly because of fake news. Companies have had to fight against this. People were not obliged because this is not allowed by law, but they were "strongly motivated" to get vaccinated. Logistical facilities such as transport and appointments at vaccination centers made by employers made it easier for workers to get vaccinated. As a result of these measures, there is a high vaccination rate among workers in the construction sector of around 80 percent. According to the AAV chairman, the government should come up with rules or laws, if necessary, only during a pandemic or other medical emergency, so that workers are obliged to be vaccinated to prevent work processes and economic activity from stagnating. “There was no adjustment made in the labor procedures and laws. The most important challenge that we had in that regards was urging our labor pool to get vaccinated. We had a very low willingness, and we had no instruments to force them to get vaccinated. As an employer you want your labor force to get vaccinated as soon as possible to go back to normal,” he said.

The AAV would also have liked to see more testing facilities and vaccination centers set up by the government. Khudabux states that at times there was nowhere to go to get tested. “The capacity was lacking at some moments. The biggest challenge was that we were confronted with a big problem that nobody was prepared for. We were left in a situation where we had to swim upstream. We were not prepared for the challenge”. Khudabux indicated that especially in the construction sector people do not work alone, but in teams. When several people in a certain team drop out on a certain project, this caused the work to stagnate. Companies therefore had to improvise a lot.

No financial support was received from the government either, although a COVID-19 Emergency Fund had been set up by the government. “There was no financial support from the government and to be honest we didn't expect that. We don't blame them for not providing any assistance. Let's keep in mind that Suriname, maybe had a bigger, a financial crisis when COVID-19 hit. We knew the constraints of the government, so we didn't expect the government to help the private sector financially, because they had to give financial support to the care sector, especially the hospitals,” said Khudabux. According to the AAV chairman there was also no COVID-19 assistance program from any international financial institution tailored to the needs of the Surinamese construction sector. In addition to the doom and gloom, the pandemic has also produced some positive things, according to Khudabux. “I think that covid brought us a lot of damage, but in a certain way it thought us a lot of things also. The emotional impact is far lower that when covid hit. Covid helped t to bring some health and safety upgrades that were not there pre-covid that we have now and will stay in the company. Also, several positions are now being done out of office. As bad as it was, we had some positivity out of it.

Between June 12, 2020 and June 25, 2021, SRD 928.2 million (approx. US$ 43.2 million) was deposited into the Suriname Covid-19 Fund through the issuance of treasury bills. Up to and including May 12 this year, an amount of SRD 912 million (approximately US$ 42.4 million) has been used from these resources. Minister Armand Achaibersing of Finance and Planning indicates that Suriname has also received financial donations from various countries and international institutions. In March 2020, the World Bank proposed an amount of US$149,046 and in January 2021 Suriname received an amount of US$49,945 from Donor Fund Korea. Also, from Morocco, US$100,000 was received in January 2021, bringing the total to US$298,991.37. A total of US$291,206.37 has been spent so far, according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance and Planning.

In the meantime, in two recent reviews, the International Monetary Fund has expressed its satisfaction with the implementation of the government's economic recovery plan and the improvement of the Surinamese economy. “Despite difficult social and economic conditions, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Suriname's homegrown economic recovery program is on track. All quantitative targets assessed at end-December 2021 have been met. Structural benchmarks have also been implemented, albeit some with minor delays. Spending on cash-transfer programs has fallen modestly short of the authorities' goals but corrective measures are underway to accelerate the expansion in coverage of these programs,” said IMF-official Ding Ding, who led IMF's technical teams to Suriname in February and may this year. He further noticed that the monthly economic indicators point to a nascent economy recovery. Inflation, while still high at 60.6 percent (y-o-y) as of December, has fallen substantially since August on a month-on-month basis. Fiscal and external imbalances have been reduced, the 2021 primary fiscal deficit is estimated at 1.3 percent of GDP, and usable reserves have been rebuilt to around 3 months of imports. Public debt is estimated to have fallen from 148 percent of GDP at end-2020 to 125 percent of GDP at end-2021 due to the authorities' fiscal measures and an appreciation in the real exchange rate.

Ding Ding: “The Surinamese economy is expected to gradually recover during the course of 2022. Real GDP growth is projected to reach 1.8 percent with an unwinding of fiscal and external imbalances and a stabilization of the macroeconomy. Over the medium term, growth could reach 3 percent, supported by growing private demand and public investment. Inflation is forecast to decline to 26 percent by end-2022 and to 12 percent by end-2024.”

Paramaribo, MARCH 01, 2022 (MIC) -

COVID-19 pandemic worsened brain drain Surinamese health sector

Before Suriname had to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, medical specialists and nurses regularly left to settle and work abroad. The pandemic, which has resulted in an increased workload while the financial compensation has lagged behind, has also exacerbated this situation. 

This is confirmed by Minister Amar Ramadhin of Health and Mukesh Simboedathpanday, chairman of the Association of Doctors in Suriname (VMS). Former Chairman of the National Hospital Council, Manodj Hindori, also emphasizes that a number of medical specialists have left the hospitals. “So far there has been an exodus of 11 medical specialists including internists, anesthesiologists, a vascular surgeon, a pediatrician, an oculist and a nephrologist.

 I think about 150 nurses and some OR assistants have left the hospitals for something "better", namely better financial compensation. The migration is more towards the Caribbean islands,” says Simboedathpanday. The VMS chairman continues: "To maintain health care, if necessary at a low level, our policymakers must seriously consider increasing the share of health care expenditure to at least 10 percent of GNP". He indicates that doctors want to continue to contribute to public health policy. 

Healthcare is a chain of care and should be approached as such," says Simboedathpandy. Doctors, nurses, paramedics, laboratories, X-ray departments as well as dietitians are linked to this. According to the chairman, the reasons for the brain drain in the health sector vary from personal circumstances to financial perils. Many doctors have a high student debt with the National Development Bank, especially with the high interest rate associated with it, which is not much different from the commercial banks. While it must be borne in mind that these persons devote part of their life years extra for the health care of the fatherland and that the repayment of the student debt usually has to be made in foreign currency. 

“All in all, a heavy tax and to be able to pay off your debt with peace of mind, so you go where you earn the redemption currency,” said Simboedathpandy. Currency depreciation also plays an important role. Due to the erosion of the Surinamese dollar, people have to work 3 to 4 times as hard to keep up with fixed costs and other expenses at the same level. In addition, there is work pressure and job dissatisfaction. Simboedathpanday: “If we put things in perspective with other countries, such as the Netherlands, the workload is 4 times higher and also with fewer colleagues. Job satisfaction is achieved when one can apply the acquired knowledge and skills in the profession to the fullest extent. But now we have a situation where you can do a lot, but it's limited because of the non-availability of tools, medicines, etcetera. Furthermore, the lack of timely rate adjustment.”

Impact

Doctors and nurses have to work more hours per discipline. The gap will have to be filled by the Surinamese doctors, who are now abroad. They will soon have to complete their studies and come back to put their shoulders to the wheel. In the meantime, some resources have been made available by the Ministry of Health, so that doctors can go abroad again for medical specializations. 

Simboedathpandy explains that medical care requires a chain care approach. Everyone is equally important. When there is an acute medical situation, more the humane comes to the fore. Help is available. 

With the departure of nurses and doctors, the strengths and weaknesses of Suriname's healthcare system have also been exposed. For example, the treatment towards nurses. This group has worked very hard and is still working very hard and there is a great deal of involvement from disciplines. However, the wage structures, lines of communication and information need to be improved. 

Regular care, operations, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, cancer therapy (more hospital care) have had to lose a lot. The disciplines in the fee for service system ran into financial problems, resulting in the departure of people. In order to limit the brain drain, disciplines will have to be scaled up by reactivating the (follow-up) courses. If it concerns courses in which one has to take out a student mortgage, conditions including interest should be relaxed and the government will have to come up with more prevention and information programs and a better appreciation for health care workers, says the VMS chairman. 

Appreciation

Manodj Hindori, Ex-Chairman of the National Hospital Council and Director of the St. Vincentius Hospital (SVZ), says his hospital is also suffering from the departure of nurses. This concerns both 'specialist nurses' and 'general nurses'. The move at SVZ is mainly for government hospitals, probably because the salaries and other facilities are often slightly better there. There are also some nurses who have gone abroad. The nurses who leave are usually young and recently graduated. The nursing staff that has been working at his hospital for some time is not really going away, they find the working atmosphere and collegiality in SVZ much more pleasant than perhaps a higher wage, with a completely different, more complex working atmosphere elsewhere.

“In SVZ we have much less to do with the departure of medical specialists, but there have been a few cases in recent years. Usually personal reasons, such as family situation, were the reason why a specialist left us. As far as I know, no specialists have left us for financial reasons, but of course I cannot say this with certainty. In the end, everyone makes their own decisions about where a better future lies ahead.”

Hindori emphasizes that the departure of nurses will certainly have an impact on services. It is more difficult to keep certain services running. The other nursing staff have to be scheduled more often to run the shifts and that creates a certain workload for them. “I realize this isn't healthy, so I really appreciate the nurses and all the staff who continue to care about our patients,” said the director. At SVZ they try to prevent the departure of nurses by offering a better pay. “Due to our own limited financial position, we cannot do too much, but we do give the nurses an extra nursing allowance, for example. That is appreciated. In these difficult times, every little bit helps. But a structural solution would be equal pay for nurses in all hospitals, both government and private. Then people would be hopping less from one hospital to another for a relatively small difference in wages. It would then come down much more to job satisfaction and the quality of care in the workplace,” says Hindori.

According to him, the departure of specialists can only be accommodated by recruiting new specialists or having them trained. This is much more difficult, because there are really too few specialists in Suriname. Sometimes we work with part-time specialists. Hindori: “We try to create an attractive workplace for the specialists in SVZ. A specialist wants to be able to fully practice his or her field and we try to be creative and facilitate the specialist in this.”

According to him, the departure of specialists can only be prevented by recruiting new specialists or having them trained. This is much more difficult, because there are really too few specialists in Suriname. Sometimes we work with part-time specialists. Hindori: “We try to create an attractive workplace for the specialists in SVZ. A specialist wants to be able to fully practice his or her field and we try to think along creatively and to facilitate the specialist in this.”

Better wages

Health Minister Ramadhin says that the issue of brain drain in the health sector was raised during the WHO World Essembly in September last year. Low-income countries in particular have indicated that they have specialized and qualified personnel. But due to the fact that other countries can offer much more money and provide better conditions to these groups of healthcare workers, they have a great appeal. "It makes sense that during a pandemic where all countries need health workers, some countries have drastically improved wages and other facilities to increase the interests of qualified personnel in low-income countries," the minister said. Minister Ramadhin notes that the brain drain in Suriname is not new. This has been happening in the education sector for decades. There are organizations that recruited medical personnel to work under attractive conditions in countries such as Aruba, Curaçao, Saba, Saint Martin and Bonaire. “The brain drain has been an ongoing process for decades. This is simply done because countries such as Saba and Saint Eustatius have too few inhabitants and, in percentage terms, a certain number of people is needed to keep care going there”. This also applies to specialists. The health sector in Suriname cannot offer the wages that they can get in those countries. This is because of the bad financial situation in the country. During the WHO meeting an appeal was made to the countries that offer higher salaries to take into account the situation of the other countries. The low-income countries have also been advised to improve their pay structure for healthcare workers and to ensure that "the proportions do not become more skewed".

The minister says that during recent discussions with the VMS it has been indicated that offering higher rates may slow, slow down or stop the brain drain. The problem, however, is that if pay is adjusted in one sector, it must be taken into account that workers in other sectors of the economy will also demand higher salaries. The imbalance in wages that has arisen in recent years must not be allowed to worsen. Adjustments must be made. Ramadhin indicates that during the pandemic people have had to work under increased pressure, which has led to enormous demotivation and frustration. However, Suriname is one of the countries that has provided additional financial grants during this period to support Covid-19 care. “That is certainly not the case in other countries.” As of October last year, health workers have even received a full pay increase.

Another issue is that because of the unequal pay between hospitals, there is also a brain drain between the health institutions. Hospital staff go to the hospitals that pay better. In 2018, government hospital staff received a 25 percent pay increase, but private hospitals were unable to afford it. As a result, a large part of the staff in those hospitals transferred to state-owned hospitals. "Of course, that is a bloodletting problem for the private hospitals and they had to come up with other strategies to keep the people."

In the meantime, a new Wage Structure has been presented to the government. Based on this, the salary in the health sector will be improved in the coming period with the aim of retaining staff. According to the minister, the consequence of the departure of medical specialists is that the remaining doctors are under a lot of pressure and have to work in shifts to distribute the workload. “The pandemic has also taught us to work in smaller teams and with less qualified people, for example in the ICU wards of hospitals”. Fourth-year medical students were also trained to provide support in the ICUs. “These are important interventions that we have made to, in any case, make the work run smoothly,” said Minister Ramadhin. He also notes that in the past year there has been no investment in innovation, in initiating specialist training courses in nursing. That is why there are staff shortages in the ICUs, in the neonatal care units, but also in dialysis and other nursing specializations. New specialist training programs are currently underway and funds where nursing students can take out loans to pay for their studies. In addition, the training of medical assistants has resumed. These initiatives must ensure that Suriname continues to cope with the pandemic and that care does not collapse. In total, more than 1,300 people have lost their lives in Suriname because of the contagious lung virus and more than 78,000 others have tested positive for Covid-19.

Paramaribo, January 04, 2022 (MIC) -

COVID-19 affects school youth and pregnant women in Suriname

Physically, the COVID-19 pandemic may have had minimal impact on children in Suriname, but it could potentially have a decisive impact on their future. The pandemic has disrupted the educational process from March 2020 and even led to the grading standards being adjusted. Education experts fear that it will take some time before the negative effects of the pandemic on the educational system and development of young people will disappear.

From March 2020 to August 2021, with intervals, the academic year was interrupted for several months. Partly because of this situation, the grading standards for academic achievements were adjusted. In such a way that no student would have to duplicate the class they were in. The government decided that all students from elementary to high school would pass to the next grade or school level. Students did not receive the usual report cards with grades for the subjects, but some kind of progress report. Students will be monitored on the basis of that progress report. The pandemic has also accelerated the adoption and introduction of a new education system in Suriname. In the old system, the academic trajectory lasted eight years from kindergarten, followed by secondary education at junior level, after which it was concluded with a two-year or three-year secondary school track. Primary education and secondary education have now been merged in the new system.

Minister Marie Levens of Education, Science and Culture explains that 120,000 students would be left out if the decision was not taken to let them continue to the next grade or school level. Some schools have taught for one simester and others for two simesters. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was not possible to finish the academic course material normally. Minister Levens indicates that in their progress report it is indicated what has been taught and at what level the students are. The teacher of the next grade starts from that point. The minister argued that there are three levels in all classes. There are children who are brilliant. In her opinion, they could even go to the next class earlier. In addition, you have the large group with an average level. There are also children who are below average. As far as junior-high is concerned, in the first two classes, pupils from secondary schools and lower vocational education will be taught together. In these two classes, secondary school students can also opt for vocational education. The time when students could only choose between the A (business stream) and B (mathematics) stream will also be a thing of the past. There will be more choices. The students will already be able to choose languages and ICT. “No child is left behind”, said the minister when this situation was discussed in parliament. She emphasized that students should not become victims of the pandemic in their development opportunities and educational trajectory.

Vaccination

To reduce the physical impact on schoolchildren, early after the international approval of youth vaccines, the government launched a vaccination campaign among children aged 12 to 18 years. A school vaccination project was also set up by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. The schools are nationally divided into clusters and must be completed within two months. Secondary school students are given the opportunity to be vaccinated. Students can go for the vaccination together with their parents. The National Coordination Team is responsible for the implementation of the project. Individuals can opt for the Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Sinopharm vaccine. Minister Marie Levens says that an important group is covered in this project. This should also be seen as a concession to them. “Nobody is obliged to be vaccinated. What I hope is that society, including parents and teachers, will be inspired by those who showed up,” says Levens.

Recreational opportunities in the country were also limited due to the restrictive measures taken by the government. Among other things, due to the ban on gatherings, lockdowns and the ban on practicing group sports. The subject Physical Exercise at schools was also banned last school year. Although it is suggested that domestic violence against children and sexual abuse of children have increased during the pandemic, no official data are available. No information has been given by the authorities about known cases of sexual violence that they are related to the COVID-19 situation. There are also no data on suicide cases or attempted suicides.

Impact on pregnant women

On several occasions, the authorities have indicated that although Suriname was confronted with a fourth wave of infection, relatively few children have become infected. In none of the cases infected children had tot be treated in the ICU. So far, there are no known cases of children who have died from COVID-19. In one case doctors had to interrupt a woman's pregnancy. “Because the pregnancy at that time was a great burden for the mother, who was infected with Covid-19, the doctors at the ‘s Lands Hospital decided to interrupt the pregnancy early. The woman was in shortness of breath,” says intensivist internist Bernardo Panka. Her child was eventually delivered via Caesarean section. The doctor stated that the Covid-19 infections have also increased among pregnant women. "I think we record one or two cases of pregnant women every week." That is not at all surprising, he hastens to say. "Because there is an epidemic." In June 2020, the country's first pregnant woman to be infected with the coronavirus gave birth. With the third wave, positive cases among pregnant women increased more and more. According to Margary Muringen, chair of the Pediatrics Department, the fact that their babies sometimes had to be referred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) put a lot of pressure on child care. She confirmed that due to the mother's condition, the children must be delivered by Caesarean section.

In September, PAHO warned of the greater risks to pregnant women in Latin America and the Caribbean. Carissa Etienne, director of the Pan-American Health Organization, issued that warning during a press briefing. She urged Member States to give pregnant women a preference for vaccination. Etienne pointed out that it is known that if pregnant women get sick they are more likely to develop severe Covid-19 symptoms. They are much more likely to need a ventilator or intensive care compared to women who are not pregnant. There is also a greater chance of early or preterm delivery, according to the Paho head. "So let me be clear: Paho recommends that all pregnant women, as well as those who are breastfeeding, receive the Covid-19 vaccine after their first trimester." She added that Covid-19 vaccines, approved by the World Health Organization, are safe to be administered during pregnancy and are a crucial tool to protect pregnant mothers during the pandemic. In the Americas, more than 270,000 pregnant women have been infected with the coronavirus so far, more than 2,600 of whom have died. At least 40 percent of countries in the region have reported that the care of pregnant women and mothers who have recently given birth has been disrupted. "And it has all gotten worse in the second year of the pandemic," Etienne said. The Paho director urged pregnant women to observe public health measures that are effective against the virus: wearing mouth and nose masks, keeping their distance, reducing contact with people outside the family and avoiding indoor gatherings.

In 2021, 20 pregnant women infected with the covid virus have died so far. They were not vaccinated. So says Javier Asin, coordinator of the National Coordination Team (NCT). "I can't imagine that there are still people who tell pregnant women not to get vaccinated," he noted. "I think it's criminal... if you know that you're giving birth to a motherless child." It was previously reported that the maternal mortality rate in Suriname is very high, an average of 13 per year. In October, 30 mothers had already died during childbirth, 19 of them were infected with the corona virus. Asin emphasizes that pregnant women who become infected with the virus are at greater risk.

“Right now, 20 mothers have died… young mothers,” Asin said. He indicates that in the last three months (third trimester), precisely when more is required of the body and the abdomen is very large, the problems of Covid-19 will manifest themselves. When it is serious and does not look so good, it is decided to have a cesarean section. Asin: “Third trimester, child is viable, mother and child are in distress. What you then do, in all circumstances, also with covid, is a caesarean section. The child comes out and is doing quite well, the mother goes straight to the intensive care unit. And then something really sad happens and that's that… virtually none of these women survived. They are 20 children who never knew their mother.” The women were not vaccinated. The Moderna vaccine is recommended for pregnant women.

Before the covid pandemic, Suriname already had a high maternal death rate, an average of 13 per year. But in the covid pandemic, pregnant women are extra vulnerable. The situation is very worrying, says Lachmi Kodan. She is a member of the Maternal and Neonatal Care steering group. The chance that the infected women end up in intensive care is 3 times higher. The chance that they will die is twice as high. The placenta can also become infected with nasty consequences for the unborn child. “Most deaths are related to Covid,” Kodan said. "They are in the ICU or have lung Covid where at some point the pregnancy had to be terminated, the baby had to be removed earlier, if it had not already died." In some cases, it was only later discovered that a deceased person was also Covid-positive while the person with serious problems was admitted. “Maternal mortality is not only a medical problem but also a social problem,” Kodan noted. “It's a combination of things. People go late, or don't go for control at all.” The pregnant women sometimes report in a very bad condition. For example, some suffer from diabetes or high blood pressure. “There are also people who come in with a very deep anemia and are then short of breath. Then you wonder if it's anemia or Covid. Then they bleed and die. Then the covid test also turns out to be positive. But they also have anemia. And this is all related to the fact that they are late or not going for control. Because they don’t have medical insurance. There has been a significant increase in the last five years. But certainly lately.” Kodan emphasizes that the vaccine offers the best protection for pregnant women.

As early as September last year, doctors expressed concern regarding the situation of pregnant women. In the months of July and August, 9 pregnant women died. They were not vaccinated. Soenita Nannan Panday-Gopising, medical director of the Lands Hospital, also chaired the Covid-Communication Steering Committee, presented these figures. In 2020, 12 pregnant women died, 2 of them due to Covid-19. On average, 12 pregnant women die in Suriname every year. The delta variant had a major impact on pregnant women, according to Nannan Panday op. The women are already carrying an extra weight due to their pregnancy and the lungs are also affected. There is a real chance that these women will end up in Intensive Care. Women are urged to get vaccinated. The Moderna vaccine and Pfizer are both suitable, Nannan Panday said. She emphasized that maternal deaths from Covid-19 can be prevented. Mother and child are protected by the vaccine.

Paramaribo, August 12, 2021 (MIC) -

Vaccine reluctancy in Suriname highest among tribal people

With the confirmation of the first case of the Delta variant, the Covid-19 pandemic in Suriname has taken on a new dimension, resulting in a renewed call from the Minister of Health for citizens to be vaccinated against the virus. 

On August 2, the authorities announced that the Delta variant had been identified in a 7-year-old child. That child had just returned from a holiday from the Netherlands. Authorities say this is an isolated case and none of the persons living with the child nor other people who came into contact with the child has been infected.

Whether this new development will have an impact on people's willingness to be vaccinated to a greater extent remains to be seen. Large sections of the Surinamese population, especially residents of the interior, are very reluctant to be vaccinated. Those residents - Amerindians and Maroons (descendants of enslaved Africans) - seem to rely more on their own traditional medicine and herbs than Western medical science when it comes to the corona pandemic.

Vaccination rate

Currently, Code Black still applies to hospitals, and Code Purple, the highest alert for the pandemic, applies to the entire country. 

Between two and five people die every day from the effects of the lung virus. On August 5, the death toll from the virus was 657 and a total of 25,614 people had already tested positive for Covid-19. 

Out of the population of 601,158 people, 188,245 people have already been vaccinated, including 123,065 people who have had the first shot. A total of 65,180 people have already been fully vaccinated, 44.32% of the target population. 

According to President Chandrikapersad Santokhi, the Surinamese government aims to have vaccinated at least 75% of the population by the end of 2021, in order to realize herd immunity. To achieve a more effective approach to the corona pandemic, a Covid-19 directorate is being established within the Ministry of Health.

When the third wave of infection broke out in the country more than two months ago, with the highly contagious Manaus variant, in particular, being dominant, thousands of people flocked to the various vaccination centers every day. 

But in Suriname’s interior locations, most rejected the vaccines. The resistance in those areas to take the injection was and still is enormous. Although the authorities have employed awareness strategies, the information is slow to get to these areas. There is also a lot of mistrust towards the government due to the disinformation and fake news via social media.

Scandal

There was also a certain reluctance to be vaccinated among the Chinese community in Suriname. There is an indication of a lack of trust of vaccines produced in Western countries. These vaccines include AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Pfizer. There are indications that some of the Surinamese Chinese community waited for the vaccine produced in China to be imported into the country. When 100,000 doses of Sinopharm donated to Suriname by China arrived and deployed last month, thousands of Chinese came out to be vaccinated. In July, a scandal came to light involving fraudulent vaccination certificates. Persons who do not wish to be vaccinated paid as much as 40 euros to obtain a vaccination certificate without taking the shot. In the meantime, four suspects, including a nurse who was charged with vaccinating people at one of the vaccination centers and three recruiters, have been taken into custody by the police. The criminal investigation into this scam is still ongoing.

Resistance

According to psychologist Lilian Ferrier, there is an explanation for the reluctance in certain sections of the population. “The government's message is too threatening, compelling, and takes too little account of the doubts and questions of the population. This becomes all the worse if there are critical people who read a lot - also in other languages - and can therefore place the government's message in a broader perspective," she says.

Language also plays a key role and authorities should also take into account the cultural customs and habits of the different ethnic groups, she says. According to Ferrier, much more research should be done with regard to, for example, the lockdown. "Is it effective? Where do people with large families stay? What about ventilation at home or at work? Are the people having healthy diets? Who takes care of the monitoring? What are the results?” the psychologist raises. According to Ferrier, targeted research should also be conducted regarding gender, geographic region, underlying health issues, vaccination, etc. of those infected.

Radjesh Ori, Director at the Bureau of Public Health (BOG), agrees that the reluctance to vaccinate is "more among certain ethnic groups". He cites as causes: misinformation about vaccines, religious beliefs, home remedies that are claimed to be effective against the virus. He emphasizes that no research has yet been conducted in Suriname into the effectiveness of the various traditional home remedies that are recommended by traditional doctors and naturopaths to take against Covid-19.

To increase vaccination, the authorities are also trying to bring the vaccination centers close to the people. He mentions, among other things, the working-class neighborhood of Latour in southern Paramaribo, where pamphlets were handed out door-to-door, sound trucks were deployed, a media campaign was conducted and people were approached personally on the day itself. 

“However, the turnout was disappointing,” says the BOG director. “We've had a very good influx before, but for weeks we've been noticing fewer people who come to get the first shot. There was an increase at the start of vaccination with Sinopharm, but it also seems to be declining," Ori said.

Targeted information

According to psychologist Ferrier, the information provided by the government and in particular the Minister of Health has not always proved reliable. She also notes that the information is far from sufficient and does not respond to the questions that the population has.

“The authorities should not come with threats and all kinds of punitive measures. Transparency and explanation are necessary,” says the expert. For example, the government could point out to the population the link between obesity and susceptibility to the virus.

“There should be an investigation into that, but I think they certainly play a role.” Religion also plays a role in vaccine hesitancy, Ferrier believes. “Certain Christians invariably believe that their immune systems as they have received from God provide adequate immunity and that extra boost with a vaccine is not necessary. There has also been so much lying by this health minister. Someone with common sense doesn't even listen anymore."

She fears that the longer the Covid-19 pandemic continues, the more people will be victims and not because of the virus. “People don't know where they stand, nor what to expect in the future. For many, their lives are like a rollercoaster ride. When it gets scary they scream and then they have a moment to catch their breath. If this situation lasts too long, we will lose a lot more people, not only to Covid-19, but to mental problems and suicide. At the same time, the government pays no attention to those problems at all,” she says. Another factor, Ferrier said, is an increase in depression, domestic violence and suicide. There is also no mention of child abuse, but according to her, this has also increased due to the pandemic.

International assistance

Meanwhile, Suriname received medical supplies and several thousand doses of corona vaccines from bilateral and multilateral partners, including China, Barbados, USA, The Netherlands, and France and through the Covax facility. 

“China and Suriname are true friends and strategic partners to each other. Since the outbreak of Covid-19, the two countries have worked with solidarity and mutual assistance. Surinamese side lent a helping hand when the Chinese people were at their most difficult time coping with the epidemic. Since last year when Suriname was constantly hit by the pandemic, China has done its best to provide the urgently needed support to Suriname” said China’s charge d’affaires Ren Hongyan.

The Wanica Hospital, donated by the Chinese government, was put into operation timely when Suriname most needed it and played a pivotal role in the fight against the pandemic. 

This hospital is the main medical facility for Covid-19 critical patients. 

According to an uncompleted statistic, the Chinese government, the Zhejiang provincial government, and the Chinese Embassy in Suriname have provided multiple batches of PPE, including more than 400,000 masks, 30 respirators, 3000 sets of protective clothing, and 8500 testing kits. There are other donations by the Chinese enterprises, of which no data is summarized. Besides, health experts from the Zhejiang province of China and Suriname shared their epidemic prevention and treatment experience through video conferences last year. China also provided the latest batch of donations to Suriname, including 100,000 doses of vaccines and more than 100,000 syringes.

“The Chinese vaccines will provide an extra choice regarding the COVID-19 vaccines for the Surinamese people. It will help Suriname improve the vaccination rate, form an immune barrier and overcome the epidemic as soon as possible,” said the diplomat. 

The Chinese government indicated its readynes to continue its cooperation with Suriname in the epidemic prevention and control, public health and other fields. According to an agreement between the two governments, China will dispatch a Chinese traditional medicine team to Suriname. At present, the two sides are working hard together to push the process forward. “We believe that Suriname can dispel the dark clouds of Covid-19 to secure an early sunny day,” said Ren Hongyan.

Paramaribo, june 29, 2021 (MIC) -

In March 2021, Suriname became the second CARICOM country to receive a batch of Covid-19 vaccines through COVAX.

Suriname received 24,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 26. Outside the COVAX arrangement, the Surinamese government has been able to arrange bilaterally with various friendly countries that vaccines for the immunisation program in Suriname will be made available.

The Netherlands is donating between 500,000 and 750,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. At the beginning of June, the Netherlands sent 90,000 doses, oxygen containers, respirators, PPEs and a medical team to Suriname.

Since then, a total of 160,000 additional doses of AstraZeneca have been received from the Netherlands. The Dutch government has released an additional budget of Euros 2 million for additional aid. The Netherlands will support the vaccination program for the duration of the urgent Covid-19 crisis. Partly due to the support of the Netherlands, the rate of vaccination has increased. Up to and including August, approximately 30 healthcare professionals in varying composition will provide support to Surinamese colleagues.

In addition to the AstraZeneca vaccine, other brands are also coming in. China has donated 100,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine to Suriname. This shipment will arrive in the country on June 29. Next comes a shipment of 3000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine from the US. A consignment of Pfizer vaccines is received from France. Meanwhile, the national vaccination campaign is in full swing. In almost all ten districts, vaccination centers have been set up in several places. After an initial slow start, the campaign is now well underway. Various organizations offer their facilities to allow people to take the shot. Many of the employees at these centers are volunteers who mainly provide logistic support. The shots themselves are administered by trained health professionals.

In part of the population, especially inland residents - the Amerindians and Maroons (descendants or runaway slaves) - there is still great reluctance with regards to vaccination. This is largely due to a lack of the right information, fake news and cultural background. Many inland residents place more faith in traditional natural remedies than Western medical science. “Our vaccination campaign can run more smoothly. Unfortunately, spreading fake news is much faster than spreading the correct information and we live in a time where people are more likely to believe negative, sensational things," said Maureen van Dijk-Wijngaarde, deputy director of the Medical Mission Primary Health Care Suriname (MZ). "I think we should spend a little more time on communication."

Although vaccination among the indigenous people is slowly increasing, it is not at all easy with the Maroons. In the Boven-Suriname area, people do not believe in Covid-19, the MZ-manager reveals. The staff draw parallels with HIV/AIDS. "At the time people did not believe that HIV/AIDS existed. We see that also with the corona virus. You cannot persuade someone to vaccinate if they do not believe that the virus exists," says Wijngaarde-Van Dijk. According to her, more evidence needs to be provided that Covid-19 really exists, but more talks with people is also necessary.

 "I think the cultural aspect is also a factor." The people in Boven-Suriname, for example, point out that the coronavirus is not a new disease and that it can be treated with traditional medicines. This position is not new. "We know from them that they do not know dengue as we call it. They do know what the phenomena are and under what (weather) conditions it occurs."

However, there are also some anti-vaccine activists, including an influential Christian leader, a herbalist and a food technologist, who are campaigning against the Covid-19 vaccines on social media. These three persons have been publicly called upon by the Minister of Health to stop their action, because they would endanger public health. If they do not stop, they will be prosecuted on the basis of the emergency law approved by parliament in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic.

 Health Minister Amar Ramadhin has repeatedly said on several occasions that the government only uses WHO-approved vaccines in the national vaccination program. To raise awareness among the public, a daily Covid-19 program is broadcast on television and influencers are used to promote the vaccination.

Up to and including Sunday 28 June, approximately 34,500 people nationwide had been fully vaccinated, less than 7 percent of the population. About 157,400 people got their first shot. President Chandrikapersad Santokhi said the country will have enough vaccines to vaccinate 75 percent of the population by the end of this year. “We still have a long way to go,” President Santokhi said on Sunday during a visit at one of the vaccination centers. “As a government, we want to have 75 percent vaccinated by the end of this year. Then we can make policy and proceed to normalization,” he noted.

So far, taking the corona shot is not mandatory. Citizens are free to refuse. However, the vaccination is strongly recommended by the authorities. Civil society organizations including political organizations and trade unions are also calling on society to be vaccinated. They do speak out against forced vaccinations. Meanwhile, there is a trend towards forced vaccination and exclusion. Several major companies have announced that applicants must provide proof of full vaccination with their application if they wish to be hired. Anyone who is already employed but for whatever reason does not want to be vaccinated will have to submit a negative PCR test twice a month. They must cover the costs for these tests themselves.

There is no direct politicization of vaccination. However, the opposition party NDP recently held a press conference calling on the government to import multiple brands of the vaccines so that citizens can have freedom of choice when deciding whether to get vaccinated. On several occasions, President Santokhi promised that citizens would have that freedom of choice so that the country could get the most out of the vaccination campaign. However, the Minister of Health indicated in parliament last week that citizens will not be able to determine themselves which vaccine they want to be injected with. This has caused confusion. The choice of which vaccine where, when and to whom will be decided by the government. “The choice of vaccines will be made based on availability, geographic distribution, underlying conditions and expiration date. Unfortunately, it will not be a menu for the public," said Minister Ramadhin. Several parliamentarians have since disagreed with this.

Paramaribo, February 28, 2021 (MIC) -

The first COVID-19 patient was tested positive on 13th March, 2020. From then to February 24, 2021, 8,892 persons have tested positive. 8,371 recovered, 170 persons died. There are currently 351 active cases and the current percentage of positives is 8.5%.

In anticipation of the National COVID-19 Preparedness and Response plan, and to support Suriname in rapid decision making, a “National Critical Operational actions matrix for Preparedness, Readiness and Response COVID-19 – SURINAME”, was adapted from the WHO interim guidance document entitled ‘Critical preparedness, readiness and response actions for COVID-19’.

Friendly, bilateral, multilateral covid-19 response   

Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in March 2020, 16 countries and 8 multilateral organizations have supported Suriname with financial assistance, equipment, PPE and medical supplies. The goods represent a value of US$ 14 million according to Suriname's Minister of Health Dr Amar Ramadhin. 

PAHO/WHO: 

In August 2020 PAHO /WHO, representative Dr Lewis-Bell noted  during a donation ceremony that to date the Suriname government has been provided with USD$480,000 of supplies for the management of the pandemic. Additionally, more donations are incoming, these include oxygen concentrators and additional PPE.

The United States provided the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Suriname $185,000 to assist that organization with its efforts in risk communication, infection prevention and control and case management related to COVID-19.  The US also gave the United Nations Children’s (UNICEF) in Suriname over $36,100 in support of its efforts to mitigate against the spread of COVID-19.   

The Inter-American Development Bank

The website of the IDB for funded projects in response to Covid states that Suriname has been eligible for a grant of US $20 million for vulnerable groups.

These funds are to be used to:

• (i) assess the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19

• (ii) establish a set of priority actions to be implemented in the short to medium term to support the socioeconomic recovery of Suriname. 

To achieve these objectives, TC resources will finance: 

• (i) a Survey of Living Conditions (SLC) to collect household and individual level data on the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; 

• (ii) microeconomic studies assessing the impact of COVID-19 on poverty, inequality and social protection; and 

• (iii) host events to share the findings with the government and key stakeholders.”

Source: https://www.iadb.org/en/project/SU-T1134

Caribbean Development Bank

Suriname has received two grants from the CDB for emergency cultural industry practitioners impacted by the cancellation of events due to the pandemic. Based on the CDB’s website, two applications have been process for Suriname.

https://www.caribank.org/cdbs-response-covid-19-pandemic

World Bank

On May 5, 2020, the World Bank activated US$412,000 to purchase essential medical supplies in Suriname for emergency response. As part of its rapid response at the onset of the pandemic, Suriname benefited from the World Bank financing to procure and distribute personal protective equipment and medical supplies to key hospitals handling COVID-19 cases. This is a fund mobilized under an infrastructural rehabilitation project.

“These funds were mobilized under the Saramacca Canal System Rehabilitation Project using the Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC). CERCs allow funds to be reallocated from the project to be used for emergency response activities.  Further emergency activities that may require support from the World Bank are being discussed with the Government of Suriname.”

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/05/05/world-bank-supports-covid-19-medical-response-in-suriname

UNDP

In June 2020 UNDP supported the Suriname health system by repurposing funds from the Engender project (US$ 75,000) and CARISeure project (US$ 15,000). Support the “Inclusive and Multi-Sectoral Crisis Management and Response” interventions is funded through repurposing funds from the EnGenDER Project (US$ 25,000). UNDP support on the implementation of the socio-economic impact assessment and recovery is funded through UNDP funds (US$ 40,000). 

On November 11th, 2020 UNDP Suriname provided personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Ministry of Justice and Police. The supplies including 1330 gowns, 500 safety glasses and goggles and 2000 pair of gloves were funded through The Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom (UK FCO) through the CariSECURE Programme.  

PPEs have also been procured for the National Disaster Agency (NCCR) to contribute to the national stockpile, and also for 19 social institutions. These PPE were procured under the regional EnGenDER project supported by Global Affairs Canada and the FCDO of the UK. This support provided 43,000 surgical masks, 2,000 Respirator N95 masks, 58,500 pairs of gloves, 60 non-contact thermometers, 10 gallons of hand sanitizer and 300 bottles of hand sanitizing dispensers. Children’s homes, elderly retirement facilities, women’s support organizations, institutions which support persons living with disabilities, 4 indigenous communities, the National Disaster Management Office and the local government District Commissioner’s Office are some of the organizations which will benefit from this equipment