Dihal-Bromet nominated to succeed Oemraw at SZF

Minouche Dihal-Bromet will take office as acting general director of the Staatsziekenfonds (SZF) with effect from 15 September 2026. Minister André Misiekaba of Health, Welfare and Labour has also nominated her for permanent appointment as general director. She will thereby become the intended successor to Rudrakanth Oemraw, who was suspended earlier this year.

The formal appointment of Minouche Dihal-Bromet has not yet been completed. She will therefore first serve as acting general director. The prescribed procedures must be completed for the permanent appointment, including approval from the Council of Ministers. SZF staff have meanwhile been informed of the change in leadership.

Dihal-Bromet’s arrival follows a turbulent period within the fund. Oemraw was first sent on compulsory leave in February 2026 and subsequently suspended after questions arose about his performance. Following his removal from day-to-day management, medical director Shereen Bhikhie was tasked with acting in the position. The Council of Ministers gave permission in early September to continue the dismissal procedure against Oemraw.

Minouche Dihal-Bromet must lead new phase at SZF

The change at the top comes at a time when the SZF is under increased administrative and financial scrutiny. Upon taking office, the new foundation board was tasked with bringing more transparency and financial discipline to the organisation. The fund plays a central role in Surinamese healthcare and provides insurance for a significant part of the population.

Minister Misiekaba has previously indicated that problems at the SZF may have direct consequences for the broader healthcare sector. The government therefore wants greater oversight of operational management, financial obligations and the relationship between the board and management. Work is also under way on clearer agreements regarding powers and responsibilities within the organisation.

Dihal-Bromet takes over the SZF at a time when restoring confidence and administrative clarity are central.

Oemraw succeeded following investigation

The proposed appointment means that Minouche Dihal-Bromet is to succeed Rudrakanth Oemraw in the permanent director’s position. Oemraw was suspended by the board on 23 February 2026. The reason was an independent investigation into possible actions which, according to the board, may have been contrary to the SZF’s articles of association and the applicable management regulations.

Minister Misiekaba raised questions, among other things, about agreements concluded with external persons under the previous leadership. Issues concerning personnel policy and the use of company resources also arose. Oemraw contested the allegations against him and previously stated that he had received no response to his defence. In early September, Misiekaba announced that the Council of Ministers had meanwhile given permission to continue the dismissal procedure. Key News previously reported extensively on the dismissal procedure against suspended SZF director Oemraw.

Dihal-Bromet’s legal and public health experience

Dihal-Bromet brings a combination of legal knowledge, public health expertise and administrative experience. She completed her law degree at the Anton de Kom Universiteit van Suriname in 2013. In 2019, she completed a Master of Science in Public Health, in which the Surinamese university collaborated with Tulane University in the United States.

Within the health sector, she held several managerial and legal positions. She worked at the Academisch Ziekenhuis Paramaribo, where she was responsible for legal affairs. The hospital’s 2017 annual report also shows that she was responsible for Legal Affairs within the organisational structure. She later became director of the Bureau voor Openbare Gezondheidszorg, the BOG.

Experience during the coronavirus period

Dihal-Bromet took office as director of the BOG in December 2019. As a result, several months later she was in the midst of the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic in Suriname. During that period, the BOG played a central role in prevention, source and contact tracing, public information and other components of the national COVID-19 response. She handed over leadership of the bureau in August 2020.

Dihal-Bromet was also involved in other parts of the health sector. She was chair of the supervisory body of the Psychiatrisch Centrum Suriname and gained experience in policy development, quality improvement, project management and organisational governance. Within the Information Systems for Health programme, she has also been active in the field of governance.

Major tasks await new SZF leadership

The new leadership faces several issues. In addition to internal administrative relations, the fund’s financial position, payments to healthcare providers, the quality of services and cooperation with hospitals, doctors, pharmacies and other healthcare institutions play an important role. Insured persons also depend on a properly functioning SZF for access to many medical services.

The ministry has previously indicated that the SZF is seeking greater transparency, financial discipline and better oversight. Amendments to the articles of association have also been announced to set out more clearly which powers lie with the board and which responsibilities belong to management. The government also sees the fund as an important link in further reforms to healthcare financing.

Permanent appointment not yet finalised

It is therefore important to distinguish between the acting role that begins on 15 September and the intended permanent appointment. Minouche Dihal-Bromet has been nominated by Misiekaba as general director, but as long as the formal procedure has not been fully completed, she will lead the fund in an acting capacity.

For Dihal-Bromet, this begins a period in which not only day-to-day operations require attention, but also confidence within and outside the organisation. Healthcare providers, insured persons, employees and the government will closely follow what measures the new leadership takes and how the SZF deals with the administrative and financial issues that have emerged in recent months.