President Simons speaks on her visit to Colombia

and drama ensues as it emerges that her husband joined her on the trip.

De Brief
January 19, 2026

President Simons’ expected at the HIC Hospital in Colombia

The Surinamese government is exploring cheaper procurement of expensive, specialized medicines by joining large-scale purchasing orders from Colombian pharmaceutical companies.
President Jennifer Simons announced this following her recent working visit to Colombia.
Talks were held with the Hospital Internacional de Colombia (HIC) about allowing Suriname to participate in Colombia’s multi-million-dollar medicine procurement programs.
Colombia’s large purchasing volumes enable significantly lower prices compared to Suriname’s small-scale imports.
The focus is not on standard medicines, but on high-cost drugs used for cancer treatment, transplants, and rare diseases.
Although patient numbers in Suriname are small, these medicines are extremely expensive, making joint procurement potentially impactful.
There are no automatic commitments; Suriname will first conduct objective price comparisons with current suppliers, including India and the Netherlands.
The National Pharmaceutical Supply Company of Suriname (BGVS) will play a central role in the evaluation process.
Colombian pharmaceutical partners have indicated openness to Suriname joining their procurement structures, possibly at the same price conditions as Colombia.
A joint technical team will work over the next six to eight weeks on pricing, logistics, regulations, and financial implications to determine whether this approach delivers sustainable cost savings for Suriname’s healthcare system.

President Simons did not initially mention that her husband traveled with her to Colombia; however, photos released afterward confirmed his presence on the trip.
Simons said her husband traveled privately, was not part of the official delegation, and incurred no cost to the State.
The visit was a technical, policy-oriented hospital visit, not a state visit, she stated.
The delegation was kept small to reduce costs and maintain a low profile.
Official participants included a security officer, the Surinamese ambassador, Minister André Misiekaba, and a medical adviser.
The president said her husband was present only at photo moments, not during official discussions.
There was limited media coverage due to the absence of a media team on the trip.

President Simons warned against premature spending and complacency ahead of expected oil revenues from 2028.
Oil income increases responsibility, not room for relaxation; discipline, transparency, and strong governance are essential, she stated.
A savings and stabilization fund must be operational by mid-2026, with strict rules and public accountability.
This is to control against the resource curse known as the Dutch Disease which states that a resource boom leads one sector to success and overreliance as the rest of the country’s economy suffers.
Oil revenues should stabilize the economy, manage debt, and fund long-term investments—not fuel consumption booms and further economic crises.
Buying back the VRI (Value Recovery Instrument) was meant to protect future oil income, but requires continued fiscal discipline.
Oil and gas will not replace economic diversification and revenues should support broader sectors and local participation.
Transparent institutions are critical to maintaining public and investor trust.