SABA:— The merging of Saba’s two healthcare organizations has been a process of years in the making. Benevolent Foundation Saba (BFS) and Saba Health Care Foundation (SHCF) are fully merged as per July 1, 2021, and will from this day continue their operations under one new name together: Saba Cares.
BFS was the organization responsible for nursing care within Henry C. Every Home for the Aged in The Bottom and was founded on December 20, 1969. Throughout the years the BFS expanded its services and not only focused on senior care but also for younger adults in need of nursing care for either a short or long period of time. With its LIFE program, BFS also extended its services extramural to provide daily activities for seniors living independently.
SHCF was the organization responsible for medical care from the A.M. Edwards Medical Center in The Bottom. Originally a government department, the medical center became its own privatized foundation per January 1, 2011. SHCF also expanded its services throughout the years to be able to provide medical care to the community of Saba via its Emergency Room, 24hr ambulance services, GP clinic, admission, laboratory, and home health services.
The two foundations have functioned as sister organizations for the past years, especially when on April 1, 2016, the organizations merged on the level of the boards. With a Shared Supervisory Board and Board of Directors, the organizations were able to work closer together and be more effective and efficient. This had a positive effect on the level of care and provided better opportunities for personnel.
Now with a complete merger, BFS & SHCF will seize to exist and continue as one under the name Saba Cares. The merged organization will keep on providing medical care and nursing care for the Saba community. As was done in the past, the new, merged organization will also look for possibilities to expand services if that benefits the community.
“As we took our time for this merger process – the first step going back to 2014 – this final step will have no effect on our daily routine,” stated Director Judith Meijer. “All our employees will continue working for us. The merger has been carefully planned and executed with legal assistance and with the approval of the union, the client counsel, and the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). Now that we are merged, we are able to gain all the benefits of working together, be optimal effective and efficient. By further lowering the costs for supportive services we can spend more of our budget towards our primary goal: providing good care because we care.”
With a new name, it is also time for a new website: www.sabacares.org and a new logo. Meijer hopes that the community soon will get used to the new outer appearance. “We hope that the community will keep recognizing us for what we are: your healthcare provider and partner on Saba,” Meijer stated.
