The children’s department of the Academisch Ziekenhuis Paramaribo (AZP) is being expanded and modernised thanks to an investment by TotalEnergies and APA Suriname. The project, which is part of the GranMorgu Mother & Child Healthcare Project, was officially launched on Monday, October 26, 2026, in the presence of President Jennifer Simons.
President Simons stressed during the launch that the population must be able to benefit directly from developments in Suriname’s oil and gas sector. According to the head of state, investments in healthcare are an important example of the social benefits this sector can deliver.
“No one can do this alone. It is important that the population truly benefits from developments in the oil and gas sector. Only then does this cooperation have real meaning,” Simons stated.
Four projects for better mother and child care
The GranMorgu Mother & Child Healthcare Project consists of four components. In addition to the expansion and renovation of the Academic Pediatric Center Suriname (APCS), a Pediatric Outreach Programma will be implemented. Investments will also be made in medical equipment and furniture for the children’s centre, while the OBGYN Mother & Child Center will receive more modern medical facilities.
The renovation of the APCS will include the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where critically ill newborns are treated, and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), for children requiring intensive medical care.
To ensure the continuity and safety of patient care during construction work, these departments will be temporarily housed at the Militair Hospitaal.
Consideration is also being given to the presence of parents during their children’s hospitalisation. A fold-out bed will be placed next to each children’s bed, allowing parents to stay overnight with their child.
Own entrance and emergency department for children
Minister André Misiekaba of Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Arbeid stressed that the renewed children’s department should not only have better medical facilities, but also provide an environment in which children feel safe and comfortable.
“A hospital must be a place where people can heal, and not a place where they suffer additional trauma,” the minister said.
The renewed department will therefore have its own child-friendly entrance, a reception desk and a separate emergency department. This is intended to improve the reception and treatment of young patients.
Specialised paediatric care for remote areas
Another important component is the Pediatric Outreach Programma, which is intended to make specialised paediatric care available to communities where access to medical facilities is limited.
Through mobile consultations, health screenings and training for local healthcare providers, the project aims to contribute to the early detection and treatment of childhood illnesses.
This should also give children outside Paramaribo better access to specialised medical guidance.
Investments from the oil and gas sector
The GranMorgu Mother & Child Healthcare Project was announced in 2024 during the final investment decision, the so-called Final Investment Decision (FID), for the development of the offshore oil project in Blok 58.
Implementation will run from October 2026 through May 2028.
President Simons expressed her appreciation to TotalEnergies and APA Suriname for their contribution to improving healthcare. She also thanked IBT Engineering Consultants, Blik & Bruining Partners and contractor Zhen Jiang No. 2 Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. for their involvement in the project.
The head of state acknowledged that problems within healthcare cannot be fully resolved in the short term, but stressed that targeted investments are necessary to structurally improve the facilities.
“We cannot do everything at once, but step by step we are building towards better times and a better hospital,” Simons said.
