Government and ABO Foundation Strengthen Partnership for Cancer Screening in Aruba
ORANJESTAD – Minister of Public Health, Social Affairs, Senior Care, and Addiction Care, drs. Melvin Wyatt-Ras recently hosted the ABO Foundation (Aruba Population Survey) for an initial formal meeting at the Government Office.
The meeting was part of the ongoing dialogue aimed at strengthening preventive care, national cancer screening, and early detection in Aruba. During the visit, the ABO Foundation presented its 2025 financial statements and provided an update on its transition from the national breast cancer screening program (BOB) into a broader, more structured organization. This organization is now responsible for three national cancer screening programs: BOB (breast cancer), BOCA (cervical cancer), and CORESA (colorectal cancer).
During the meeting, the progress of the ABO Foundation and its role in advancing cancer screening in Aruba were discussed. The foundation also confirmed its official registration as a healthcare provider under the National Ordinance on Healthcare Quality (LKIG) in February 2026, as part of its ongoing commitment to quality in preventive care.
A key topic of discussion was the importance of effective and secure data sharing. Access to follow-up information regarding diagnoses and outcomes allows the ABO Foundation to better monitor the effectiveness of its screening programs, measure early detection rates, and guide future improvements based on reliable and valid data.
The ongoing collaboration with key healthcare partners was also highlighted, including DVG, HOH, LabHOH, HAVA, and AZV. Inter-agency collaboration across all healthcare stakeholders is essential to strengthening the entire screening continuum—from invitation and participation to follow-up and early diagnosis.
The Ministry highly values this constructive exchange and views the partnership between the ABO Foundation, the Ministry, and other healthcare partners as vital to further enhancing cancer screening and early detection in Aruba, with a continuous focus on quality, accessibility, and a safe patient care pathway.