Ministry

Detail

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Coat of arms of Sint MaartenGovernment of Sint Maarten
VSOA

Public Health, Social Development & Labor

Dr. Luc F. E. Mercelina

Dr. Luc F. E. Mercelina· Acting Minister of Public Health, Social Development & Labor

The ministry runs Sint Maarten's public health, social welfare and labor systems, spending most of its money on health insurance and medical/welfare assistance for the uninsured and vulnerable, while funding prevention, social services and job-placement programmes.

2026 spending
Cg 0M
Own revenue
Cg 0M
Share of ministries
0%
Staffed
0%
Where it spends

Spending by cost category

  • Personnel costsCg 56M51%
  • Material costs, goods & servicesCg 16M15%
  • Transfers and subsidiesCg 1M1%
  • Social provisionsCg 36M33%
2026 → 2029

Spending outlook

20262029Cg 111M

Capacity to deliver

Staffing — posts actually filled74%
148 filledof 198 budgeted posts
What it plans to do

Strategic objectives

  1. 01Public Health: Improve the population's access to healthcare and the quality and safety of care (standards, protocols, training, professionalism), aligned with NDV 1.6 efficient high-quality healthcare and NDV 1.7 a physically and mentally healthy population.
  2. 02Public Health: Reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and communicable diseases (CDs) through prevention, awareness campaigns and immunization, and raise community awareness of Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
  3. 03Public Health: Improve data collection to support evidence-based policy development.
  4. 04Social Development: Improve access to social services for vulnerable groups, ease socio-economic burdens in the community, and improve disaster preparedness and response under ESF-7.
  5. 05Labor: Improve job placement for registered job seekers, strengthen labor relations between employers and employees, and increase the employability of recipients of financial or medical assistance.
  6. 06Implement reforms under the Sint Maarten Country Package (TWO projects) to build a resilient economy and a robust, affordable social security system.
Funded programmes

Key programmes & projects

Healthcare Reforms (TWO) - oversight, mental health, GHI/health insurance, professional registration, NCD prevention, pharmaceutical cost containmentCg 7.6M

Strengthened health-sector oversight, a National Strategic Plan for Mental Health, BIG registration and ICT register of healthcare professionals, General Health Insurance (GHI) legislation, CVRM pilot training and Phase 2 pharmaceutical cost containment.

Social and economic reforms (TWO e-measures and other projects) - unemployment benefit, foreign labor/permit policy, poverty & social minimum research, AOV/old-age pension reform, dismissal legislationCg 3.1M

Draft legislation and implementation frameworks for unemployment benefits, integrated work/residence permit procedures, poverty research, financial sustainability of social security, and dismissal policy.

Objective 2.2 programmes - Reduction of socio-economic burdens (Safe Haven, Stichting UJIMA, Heling Hands, community empowerment, senior support, parenting)Cg 1.5M

Shelter and support for domestic-violence victims and at-risk youth, empowerment training for vulnerable groups, supported living for homeless seniors, and community outreach.

Programme for healthy eating and poverty reduction (one-time food stamp / food programme, funded from remaining SMDF funds)Cg 1.1M

Support for soup kitchens and food banks, three schools/after-school institutions, a sports activity for ~100 children, and a food discount programme for 100 senior households.

Objective 1.3 programmes - Reduced prevalence of NCDs and CDs (awareness campaigns, immunization, dental youth programme, HIV/AIDS and Diabetes subsidies)Cg 928k

All planned health campaigns carried out per WHO/CARPHA/CDC/PAHO calendars; 10% increase in vaccinated children; expanded testing and screening.

Objective 1.5 programmes - Improving quality and safety of care (staff and ambulance training, inspections, memberships, third-party specialists)Cg 648k

Certified ambulance staff, a 10% increase in inspections, timely international memberships, and continuity of ambulance care per statutory quality requirements.

Measured by

Indicators & targets

  • Number of vaccinated children (Extended Immunization Programme)
    Target: Increase by 10%
  • HIV/AIDS Foundation testing
    Target: 400 people tested
  • Diabetes Foundation public awareness events
    Target: At least 300 participants
  • 'Let's Get Fit' preventive health project participation
    Target: At least 500 participants
  • Inspections of healthcare, pharmacies and wholesale
    Target: Number of inspections increased by 10% vs previous year
  • Senior support - supported living for homeless seniors
    Target: At least 5 seniors housed
  • Homelessness project and crisis response
    Target: 75 people provided with meals and hygiene kits
  • Nurses trained for CVRM pilot programme (healthcare reforms)
    Target: 10-12 nurses trained
  • ILO country reports submission
    Target: Timely submission before September 1
What could go wrong

Key risks

  • Chronic understaffing (~25%, some departments at 50% or less) compounded by brain drain, as retirement and departures cause loss of specialized knowledge and stall or delay projects and activities.
  • Limited labor market and uncompetitive government salaries force hiring of under-experienced staff and prevent keeping knowledge and skills up to date, causing delays and staff dissatisfaction; budgeted vacancies may go unfilled, leaving the personnel budget underused.
  • Insufficient country-wide financial and physical resources force priority-setting: staff cannot be recruited, resources not procured, or project scope reduced, risking that not all of the population receives necessary services.
  • Calamities (hurricanes, COVID-type outbreaks, flooding, extreme heat) disrupt the organization, cancel or delay activities, and raise the cost of living; major-calamity budget impact is considerable but unpredictable.
Mapped to policy goals

National Development Vision & SDGs

NDV G02NDV G05NDV G21NDV G25