Colourful Dutch colonial buildings along the waterfront in Kralendijk, Bonaire
Utilities

Healthcare on the island

Bonaire has a modern hospital, GP practices and pharmacies, with a clear route for the specialist care a small island can’t provide locally.

Everyday healthcare on Bonaire is well covered. The island has a hospital, general practitioners (huisartsen), dentists and pharmacies. Residents are enrolled in the public healthcare scheme, and there is an established route for referral abroad when specialist or complex care is needed. You register with a GP as your first point of contact, as in the Netherlands.

Emergency numbers

Available 24/7; operators speak Dutch, English, Spanish and Papiamentu:

  • Police — 911
  • Ambulance — 912
  • Fire brigade — 919
  • Coast Guard — 913

Specialist care and insurance

For treatment not available locally, patients are referred to partner hospitals abroad (often Colombia, Aruba, Curaçao or the Netherlands) under the public scheme. Residents are covered by the public health insurance administered by Zorg en Jeugd Caribisch Nederland (ZJCN) once registered with a sedula — no separate premium is charged to residents. Expats, non-residents and visitors should carry appropriate private or international health cover.

Hospital

Fundashon Mariadal (Hospital San Francisco)

Hospital

The island’s general hospital: 24-hour emergency care, maternity, outpatient clinic, lab, radiology, dialysis, pharmacy and a decompression chamber for diving accidents.

GP practices (huisartsen)

Family-doctor practices across the island; register with one as your first point of contact. Note that BMC (Bonaire Medisch Centrum, Kaya Soeur Bartola 17) and CMC (Centro Médico Central, Kaya Soeur Bartola 7) are two separate locations run by the same organisation. After 17:00 and at weekends/holidays an after-hours GP post (huisartsenpost) runs from the CMC building at Kaya Soeur Bartola 7 (+599 717 0111) until 23:00; true emergencies go to the hospital ER.

Bonaire Medisch Centrum (BMC)

GP

Centro Médico Central (CMC)

GP

Medical Center Cross Road — Playa

GP

Medical Center Cross Road — Antriol

GP

Sentro Médiko Sùit

GP
  • +599 717 0777
  • Kaya Monseigneur Niewindt 3, Tera Kora

Rincon Medical Center

GP

Dentists

F.C.A. Chirino Memorial Dental Clinic

Dentist

Klinika Dental van Egmond

Dentist

Sentro Dental Bonaire

Dentist

Coral Dental Bonaire

Dentist

Dental clinic in downtown Kralendijk (street address to be confirmed).

Pharmacies (botika)

Only two pharmacies currently operate on the island, both run by Fundashon Mariadal (Apotheek Sabana has closed and Botika Korona is closed/relocating). An on-duty rotation ("botika na warda") covers evenings and weekends.

Botika Fundashon Mariadal

Pharmacy

The main island pharmacy, at the hospital complex.

  • +599 715 8905
  • Kaya Soeur Bartola 2, Kralendijk
  • Mon–Fri 08:30–17:30; Sat 14:00–18:00 (emergencies)

Botika Rincon

Pharmacy

Small branch pharmacy in Rincon (via Fundashon Mariadal).

Sources & official links

For orientation only. Rules, rates and costs can change — always verify the current situation with the relevant authority or an advisor. · Last reviewed: July 2026.

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