WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) has appointed Ludmilla Garmers as its new Chief Medical Officer following a period of administrative turbulence within the organization. The Curaçao-born physician will return to the island after an extensive selection process to contribute her experience in medical education, hospital governance, and acute care to the further development of healthcare services.
The appointment follows several high-level departures at CMC in recent months. In October, Medical Director Ingemar Merkies and Chief Financial Officer Karina Lombardi both left the hospital, leaving their positions vacant. Around the same time, Chief Executive Officer Gilbert Martina also stepped down, with Johan de Graaf taking over the role.
According to CMC, Garmers has held various leadership positions throughout her career, including serving as chair of the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management and as a member of hospital boards. The hospital describes her as a leader known for a transparent and collaborative management style, with a strong focus on patient safety and quality of care.
Garmers is scheduled to begin her new role during the week of March 30. Filia Kramp, chair of the Supervisory Board, stated that Garmers’ expertise will play an important role in strengthening the organization and further improving the quality of care at the hospital.
CMC also reported progress in addressing operational challenges, noting that the surgical waiting list has been reduced to fewer than 600 patients, down from approximately 2,600 several years ago.
The member of the Board of Directors responsible for finance has not yet been formally appointed. According to CMC, this process is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.