Terminal Illness & End-of-Life Planning in Suriname: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Coordinating palliative care, home care, and health insurance coverage

   The immediate priority is establishing an appropriate medical and nursing care plan tailored to the condition and preferences of your family member [2] [5].

   • Coordination with the attending physician and hospital: Discuss the treatment plan, pain management, and symptom control with the medical team at the hospital (such as the Academic Hospital Paramaribo, Sint Vincentius Hospital, or Diakonessenhuis) or with the family physician under the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour [2].
   • Home care and medical equipment: If your family member prefers to receive care at home, the attending physician can issue a referral for community nursing, home care services, and medical equipment for domestic use [2] [5].
   • Authorizations through the State Health Insurance Fund: Check insurance coverage early with the State Health Insurance Fund or a private health insurer for specialist medication, nursing supplies, and palliative support [5]. Submit medical guarantee letters and prior authorization requests promptly so that reimbursements continue without interruption [5].
2. 2

   Recording advance medical wishes and designating a medical representative

   While the ill person has full decision-making capacity, future medical preferences can be documented in writing and discussed with the physician and family [1] [2].

   • Written statement of medical treatment preferences: In consultation with the attending physician, your family member can record in writing which life-prolonging interventions are or are not desired (such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, or intensive care admission) when recovery is no longer possible [2].
   • Appointing a medical representative: It is advisable to designate one primary family contact and representative in writing and have this recorded in the medical file under the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour, ensuring healthcare providers have a clear point of contact if the patient can no longer communicate [1] [2].
   • Keeping medical instructions accessible: Ensure that a signed copy of the treatment preferences is kept both in the hospital and general practitioner files and in the patient's home for immediate access by ambulance personnel and on-call doctors [2].
3. 3

   Executing a notarial power of attorney and bank mandates while capacity is intact

   To prevent bank accounts or property from becoming inaccessible if health declines, legal and financial mandates must be arranged while mental capacity is completely intact [1] [3].

   • General or special notarial power of attorney: Under the Civil Code of Suriname (enacted by The National Assembly), a person with full mental capacity may execute a general or specific notarial power of attorney before a civil-law notary in Suriname [1]. The notary personally verifies mental capacity and records who is authorized to perform financial, administrative, and property transactions on the principal's behalf [1].
   • Specific bank mandates in Suriname: Commercial banks in Suriname often require their own internal mandate forms for payment transactions. Contact the relevant banks promptly together with your family member to sign the bank's specific authorization forms alongside the notarial power of attorney [1].
   • Guardianship or administration if capacity is lost: If no timely power of attorney was executed and mental capacity has already been lost, a notary can no longer execute a deed and a judicial protective measure (such as guardianship or administration) must be requested through the Cantonal Court under the Ministry of Justice and Police [1] [3].
4. 4

   Activating social benefits, healthcare schemes, and caregiver support

   During a prolonged or serious illness, several social and employment protection schemes in Suriname can be activated to address income loss and care costs [2] [4] [5].

   • Basic health insurance and social assistance: Individuals without adequate health coverage or with limited financial means can inquire with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Public Housing regarding eligibility for Basic Health Insurance (Bazo), financial assistance for persons with disabilities, or allowances for special care expenses [4] [5].
   • Sick pay and occupational disability: If the ill person is employed, statutory and collective rules govern continued wage payment during illness and medical assessment through the bodies under the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour, as well as any disability coverage under the employer's pension fund [2].
   • Leave and coordination for family caregivers: Relatives providing daily informal care should consult their employer early regarding special leave or care leave and coordinate daily nursing tasks with home care providers and the State Health Insurance Fund [2] [5].
5. 5

   Reviewing wills, beneficiary designations, and civil registry documents in advance

   A careful review of personal and property records prevents later delays in administering the estate [1] [6].

   • Drafting or updating a will before a notary: While your family member retains full mental capacity, a last will and testament can be drafted or updated before a civil-law notary in Suriname in accordance with the Civil Code of Suriname, including the appointment of an executor to manage the estate [1].
   • Verifying records at the Central Bureau for Civil Affairs: Check that all civil status documents - such as the family book, birth certificates, marriage certificate, and identity card - are complete and accurately recorded with the Central Bureau for Civil Affairs so that no spelling or registration discrepancies arise later [6].
   • Beneficiary clauses and international assets: Review beneficiary designations on life and funeral insurance policies and compile an inventory of bank accounts and title deeds for real estate or state leasehold land [1]. If assets or future heirs are located outside Suriname, the notary can advise on cross-border coordination and apostille procedures through the Court of Justice [1] [3].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Civil Code of Suriname - The National Assembly — De Nationale Assemblée van de Republiek Suriname (DNA)
2. [2]
   Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour - Contact and Services — Overheid van de Republiek Suriname (GOV.SR)
3. [3]
   Ministry of Justice and Police — Overheid van de Republiek Suriname (GOV.SR)
4. [4]
   Ministry of Social Affairs and Public Housing - Services — Overheid van de Republiek Suriname (GOV.SR)
5. [5]
   State Health Insurance Fund (SZF) - Services and Information — Stichting Staatsziekenfonds Suriname
6. [6]
   Civil Registry and Services - Central Bureau for Civil Affairs (CBB) — Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken - Republiek Suriname