Ex politician Croes questions AZV's handling of his son's cancer case

ORANJESTAD – During a press conference, former politician Ricardo Croes questioned the way AZV handled the treatment of his son, who is battling cancer. According to Croes, delays, poor communication and several medical decisions negatively affected the care the family was seeking for the patient. Croes said that after a surgeon in Bogotá agreed that immunotherapy was an appropriate treatment option, the family repeatedly requested that the therapy be continued. According to him, the request was delayed for weeks and ultimately was not approved, forcing the family to consider paying part of the costs themselves.

He alleged that communication between the various medical and administrative bodies was inadequate and that the family had to wait too long for responses to multiple requests. Croes said he felt the urgency of the case was not reflected in AZV's handling of the matter.

Croes also criticized the attitude of one specialist in Aruba, describing the treatment he and his son received as lacking empathy and professionalism.

He further questioned Aruba's policy on immunotherapy, arguing that in Colombia it was considered a treatment to shrink the tumor before surgery, whereas in Aruba it appears to be available mainly for patients in palliative care.

Croes stressed that his criticism is not directed at all healthcare professionals, but at what he considers a healthcare system that responds too slowly in serious cancer cases. He also announced that he intends to file a formal complaint against the specialist involved.