First Women's Health Conference Sint Maarten

 

 

                                       

Putting our Caribbean Queens in the spotlight

It is time to finally give extra attention to the generations of strong Caribbean women - grandmothers, mothers & ambitious girls - who keep this society at its feet.

For years, it's known that men and women differ physically, emotionally, and mentally. For medical professionals, however, it is important to recognize that males and females are not interchangeable in the way we approach and treat both genders. Symptoms can present in different ways, medicines do not always work the same, and side effects can present differently in men and women, to name a few examples.

Furthermore, there are illnesses that only affect women, such as gynecological cancers. Hormonal balances have a big impact on our overall well-being, and those balances change a lot over the course of a woman’s life span. Menopause has a very big effect on the well-being and functioning of women. This has been under-acknowledged until recently. Thus, it’s time to ensure that our medical professionals are equipped to address and safely treat these peri-menopausal symptoms, re-strengthening the women that have carried our society for so long.

What about the way women experience psychological stress or trauma and how do they deal with sexuality and their (gender)role in this society?

There are so many interesting topics in women’s health that deserve attention. That is why we have organized a conference entirely focused on women. We will address a variety of illnesses, symptoms, hormonal changes, psychological & sexual subjects over the generations, from girls to grandmothers.

With topics like these, we are confident that this will be an inspiring and fruitful conference on women’s health. Join us at the American University of Medicine (AUC) on the 13th and 14th of June 2025.

Registration Fee $ 250 GP & MD
                               $ 125 Nurses and Paramedics

 
$ 200 up to May 15th, 2025 (GP & MD)
$ 100 up to May 15th, 2025 (Nurse & Paramedic)

Payment instruction:
Please pay the registration fee by transferring the funds to the bank account information below
Online payment via the Naskho conference page is NOT POSSIBLE, please select 'Wire transfer' when checking out.

Bank information
WIMA Wire Transfer Information XCG
Beneficiary Bank: RBC SXM Royal Bank Of Canada
Beneficiary Bank Address: Cannegieter Street 24
Beneficiary Bank City: Philipsburg
Beneficiary Bank Country: St Maarten

Swift Code/BIC : RBTTSXSMXXX
Reference: WIMA Women's Health Conference, June 2025, St Maarten

Final Beneficiary Acct # : 8200000009270235 (7nils) XCG
Final Beneficiary Name: WIMA Windward Island Medical Association
Final Beneficiary address: Peridot Road 20
Final Beneficiary City: Pelican
Final Beneficiary Country: St Maarten

Please mail your proof of payment to Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken. 

Friday June 13th, 2025- Session 1

 

From	Subject	Speaker
13:00 - 13:00	Registration
13:30 - 13:45	General Welcome & Introduction	First Lady & Gynecologist Patricia Roumans
13:45 - 14:20	Epidemiology of St. Maarten and statistics	Eva de Weever
14:20 - 14:55	Gynecology in Primary Care	Anique Swanston
14:55 - 15:40	Epigenetics Basis of Women's Health and Disease	Frits Muskiet
15:40 - 15:55	Break
15:55 - 16:30	Domestic Violence/Femicide and Safe House	Rashida Boyrard & Estika Halley
16:30 - 17:05	Contraception	Wai Lam
17:05 - 17:40	Sexual Education, Prevention STDs	Ria Uiterloo
17:40 - 18:40	Dinner break
18:40 -19:25	Cervical Cancer	Igor Gomes Bravio
19:25 - 20:00	Early Menarche	Frits Muskiet
20:00 - 20:35	Female Sexuology	Hendrikus van Gaalen

 

      

Beroepsgroep: Accreditatie Bureau Algemene Nascholing (ABAN)
Categorie: Algemene scholing cluster 2
Punten: 12

 

Speakers

• 

  Alfredo B. Callo Caceres

  MEDICAL SCHOOL
  UNIVERSITY: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia Human Medicine Physician and Surgeon (Years 1985 to 1993)

  SPECIALTY:
  Gynecology and Obstetrics

  UNIVERSIDAD PERUANA CAYETANO HEREDIA
  Seat: Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza (1996 - 1999)

  FELLOW:

  • Gynecological Endoscopic Surgery: Laparoscopy and Hysteroscopy. St. Mary`s Hospital New Jersey - U.S.A. (April-July 2002) Treatment of Crevix Dysplasias: Colposcopy, Cryotherapy and LEEP
  • Women and Children Primary Care of Passaic New Jersey- USA (March-May 2004)

  PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES

  • OB-GYN specialist St. Maarten Medical Center. St Maarten (From December 2012 to now)
  • OB-GYN specialist PRINCESS ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL. ANGUILLA (From July 2008 to November 2012)
  • OB-GYN Consultant ST. JUDE HOSPITAL. St LUCIA WEST INDIES (From August 24, 2007 to July 2008)
  • OB-GYN attending HOSPITAL NACIONAL ARZOBISPO LOAYZA - PERU Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics ( From June 1st 2000 to December 31 of 2002 and From September 1st, 2004 to July 2007)
  • OB_GYN attending EsSalud Hospital I Oxapampa Social Security of Peru (From November 29 1999 to May 11 2000)
  • OB-GYN Consulting of Project 2000. Health Ministry-USAID In order to offer Technical Attendance to Hospitals of the scope of 12 Regional addresses of Health of Peru. (From November 18 to December 17of 1999)
  • OB-GYN Supervisor of the Maternal Program of Qualification Infantile at the National level. Project 2000.
  • ESAN - USAID – Health Ministry (From July 1st, 1999 to November 15, 1999)
  • OB-GYN for Family Planning program by The NGO
  • “ASOCIACION PERUANA MUJER Y FAMILIA” (From July 1st 2004 to now) Residency in the Specialty of Gynecology and Obstetrics
  • HOSPITAL NACIONAL ARZOBISPO LOAYZA. (From June 1s,t 1996 to May 31, 1999)
  • Emergency Physician in the Clinic Maison de Sante Lima. Peru (From May 1s,t 1995 to May 31, 1996)
  • Emergency Physician in the Clinic San Lucas Lima-Peru (From March 1st, 1995 to May 1,5 1995)
  • General Physician of the Medical Center “El Alto” PETROPERU (From October 1st, 1994 to February 2,8 1995)
  • SERUMS (Rural and Marginal Urban Medical Service: Grau region, Subregion Luciano Castillo Colona. Center of Health “LOS ORGANOS” Y “EL ALTO” PETROPERU (From October 1ST 1993 to September 30, 1994)

  CLINICAL INVESTIGATION Randomized study double-blind of the multipurpose vaccine of Human Papilloma Virus against placebo. Lima 2002-2003.

  PROFESSOR COURSE OF GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS for students in 5th year of the medicine faculty “UNIVERSIDAD PERUANA CAYETANO HEREDIA”

  (2001-2002-2005-2006-2007).

   

• 

  Anique Swanston

  My name is Anique Swanston, also known as Dr. Y. A. Swanston, Dr. YAS, Dr. Anique, Dr. A or simply Anique. I was born on the island of Montserrat and emigrated to St. Maarten after the volcanic eruption of the Soufriere Hills. I spent 14 years in the U.K. where I trained and started my journey in General Practice. I then joined my mom, Dr. S. Swanston-Meade at her (now our) practice: Family Medical Practice, affectionately called FMP. Dr. Swanston-Meade opened her practice on St. Maarten in 2004 and has built up a busy environment heavy on gynaecology, dermatology, aviation medicine along with the usual primary care subjects. Since my time back here on the island, I’ve had the pleasure of working under the tutelage of her experience, gaining vital knowledge of not just ‘island medicine’ but a healthy respect for women’s health and the impact we can have in sharing medical knowledge through effective communication and patient participation.

• 

  Carlos Rojas

  Dr. Carlos Rojas, Urologist
  Graduated from the Central University of Venezuela's medical school in 1995. Diploma in General Surgery and Urology from the Central University of Venezuela in Caracas in 2002. Subspecialization in Urodynamics and Andrology at the University Hospital of Caracas. Training in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and the United States.

  University professor at the Central University of Venezuela for 16 years. Member of the American Urological Association and the European Association of Urology. Practices in public and private medical institutions in Caracas, Venezuela.
  He has been practicing at the Sint Maarten Medical Center for the past 7 years.

• 

  Dorenda van Dijken

  Dorenda van Dijken, MD, has been active in the field of menopause and women's health for more than 25 years. She was for years chair of the Dutch Menopause Society. Since May 2023, she has been a board member of EMAS. She is co-author of the Dutch guidelines on menopausal
  management 2018, 2023, and 2024, and of the publication in the European Heart Journal in 2020: Cardiovascular Health after Menopause Transition, Pregnancy Disorders and Other Gynecological Disorders: a Consensus Document by European Cardiologists, gynecologists, and endocrinologists. In 2020, she established the first multidisciplinary outpatient clinic for complex menopause problems in the Netherlands. She wrote several books about menopause and healthy aging. Her mission is to get more attention for women with severe menopausal complaints, specifically about mood and psychiatric disorders. She wants to break the taboo everywhere in the Netherlands and provide future women with better menopause and hormonal care. Together with others, she managed to secure a large grant of €9.4 million in 2023 for more research into menopause. She is also co-founder of H3-network: Head, Heart, and Hormones, which received recently a grant for setting up network
  care for women.

• 

  Emiko Bird-Lake

  Dr. Emiko Bird-Lake, a daughter of the soil, began her academic journey at the University of South Florida, where she obtained a Bachelor degree in Chemistry and Pre-Medicine.

  Hereafter she moved to the Netherlands where she completed her medical training at the LUMC and went on to specialize in cardiology at the VUMC in Amsterdam which she completed in 2010.

  Until October 2016, she worked in multiple hospitals in the Netherlands as a cardiologist and specialized in imaging cardiology. In 2016 she returned to Sint Maarten and became the first permanent cardiologist at SMMC.

• 

  Eva de Wever

  Eva Lista-de Weever currently heads the Department of Collective Prevention
  Services–a branch within the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour of Sint Maarten. Since assuming the position in February 2020, she has led a multidisciplinary team responsible for executing public health policies and programs in infectious disease surveillance, health promotion, immunizations, oral health, and vector control.
  Eva started her career in public health as an infectious disease epidemiologist and gained experience in outbreak preparedness and response during H1N1 and Dengue outbreaks in California and Sint Maarten respectively.
  She received her Master’s degree in Public Health Microbiology and Emerging Infectious Diseases from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. and her Bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
  
  Eva is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill where she is pursuing a degree in Public Health Executive Leadership (DrPH). Her research is focused on health system strengthening and bridging the relationship between primary care and public health to improve disease surveillance on Sint Maarten.
  When she’s not in her professional capacity, Eva enjoys spending time with her husband Adrian, 8-year-old daughter Adeline, and 5-year-old twin boys Elliott and Matteo!

• 

  Frits Muskiet

  PROF. DR. FRITS MUSKIET, EMERITUS CLINICAL CHEMIST
  Frits A.J. Muskiet was born in Curaçao. He studied Chemistry at the Groningen State University in the Netherlands.
  In 1974 he graduated in Biochemistry and obtained his PhD in 1979 by defending a thesis on catecholamine (metabolite) producing tumors. From 1975 to 1980 he specialized in Clinical Chemistry at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG).
  From then he held a permanent position in the UMCG with activities in patient care, teaching, and research. In 1995 he became a
  Lecturer at the Groningen School of Pharmacy and in 2000 he was appointed Professor of Pathophysiology and Clinical Chemical Analysis at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
  He officially retired as a Clinical Chemist in April 2015 but is still active in research and teaching.
  Dr. Muskiet has a broad research interest. His activities were/are in oncology, nutrition, atherosclerosis, hemoglobinopathies/thalassemias,
  obstetrics /perinatology, psychiatry, evolutionary medicine, and evidence-based laboratory medicine.
  He was an advisor of 33 PhD candidates and is (co)author of about 300 PubMed-registered publications.

• 

  Hendrikus van Gaalen

  Hendrikus van Gaalen, psychiatrist and psychotherapist, studied in Leuven, Leiden & Amsterdam. Over time he studied philosophy sexology and hypnotherapy.

  He worked as a psychiatrist in Aruba since 1997. Since 2017 he was the medical director of the Fundacion pa Salud Mental Aruba, "Respaldo". In 2024 he became the medical director of the Mental Health Foundation of St Maarten.

  For our Women’s health conference, he will give us a presentation on:

  Mental health in women

  Different genders differ in the way they experience and present psychological and psychiatric symptoms. It is important to realize this for health care providers on all levels so they will recognize the variety in demonstration of complaints in all genders but also how to approach and treat men and women in different manners. Dr Van Gaalen will elaborate on these differences by case presentations of multiple psychiatric illnesses.

  & 

  Sexology in women

  Physically & mentally men and women are not wired the same. Society (still) has a very unsimilar way of exhibiting sexuality and gender roles. Which effect does that have on the way women experience their role in society and their sexuality? For better or worse. In this presentation, the focus will lay mainly on the way women deal with sexuality and how sexual trauma and healing can affect their mental and physical health in the short and in the long run. How to address, approach, and guide/treat women in this process as a health professional?

   

• 

  Igor Gomes Bravio

  Dr. Igor Gomes Bravio is a gynecologic oncologist from Curaçao who completed his
  entire medical education in Costa Rica. After graduating in 2010, he returned to
  Curaçao, where he has been practicing ever since. His clinical focus lies primarily in the
  management of gynecologic cancers and precancerous conditions, as well as in the
  care of patients with severe endometriosis.

• 

  Katie Heiken

  Katie Heiken is a second-year medical student at AUC, passionate about Pediatrics and aspiring to pursue a fellowship in Neonatology. Before attending AUC, Katie gained extensive experience across various medical specialties, most recently focusing on Dermatology.

• 

  Latasia Polk

  Latasia Polk is a second-year medical student at AUC. She is interested in Pediatrics and plans to return home to serve her rural community. Before starting medical school, she strived to be a well-rounded applicant and held a variety of positions, which focused on child development, breast cancer research in rural areas, healthcare within elderly populations, and college success for first-generation students.

• 

  Maryam Sheikh is

  Maryam Sheikh is a second-year medical student at AUC with a passion for medicine, public health, and healthcare equity. Before medical school, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), obtained her RN license, and completed a Master of Public Health (MPH), focusing on healthcare hesitancy in the Muslim-American community. Her journey has been shaped by her dedication to volunteering, research, and community health initiatives. She is particularly interested in rheumatology and strives to combine medical expertise with compassionate care to make healthcare more accessible and inclusive.

• 

  Randall Friday

  Dr. Randall Friday attended Howard University College of Medicine in Washington D.C. from 1998-2002 and did his specialization in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Henry Ford Hospital from 2002-2006.

  Dr Friday is board-certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG). He is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics
  WOMEN’S.HEALTH.SERVICES.N.V.A.J.C. Brouwers Rd . Yogesh Complex unit - 2D . St. Maarten N.A.Tel : 543-4224 Email : womenshealthservicesnv@gmail.com
  and Gynecology.

  He has 20 years of experience as the owner and medical director of Women’s Health Services, which specializes in providing comprehensive women’s health care, including prenatal care, high-risk obstetrics, gynecology surgery, and reproductive health services.

  Dr Friday is also owner and medical director of Women’s Health Services Fertility Center where he has partnered with Palm Beach Fertility Center. That partnership has subsequently helped hundreds of women get pregnant through IVF and other fertility services. In addition, in May 2025 Women’s Health Services Fertility Center became the first institution in the region to offer Intrauterine insemination (IUI) at its location in St. Maarten.

  Dr. Friday is a member of the AAGL (American Association of Gynecology Laparoscopists), ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists and ABOG (American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology)
  Women’s Health Services and Fertility Center remains passionate about advancing women’s health and improving patient outcomes through investing in modern technology, and compassionate patient-centered care.

   

• 

  Rashida Boyrard

  Rashida Boyrard was born and raised in St. Maarten.

  She has been associated with the Safe Haven Foundation for the past five years and was hired as Managing Director in 2022 to oversee the execution of the restructuring and upgrading process of the Foundation’s shelter and client services.

  Before this, she was a Team Lead for the Data Entry Unit of the COVID-19 Support Staff, at the Department of Collective Prevention Services, and assisted with executing the COVID-19 Vaccine Program in 2021.

  Having a passion for community well-being, and social programs that improve the quality of life of vulnerable groups in our society, she has also been involved in many local projects and programs such as:

  • Designing and conducting of survey and research study to determine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and workload on staff well-being, for the Department of Collective Prevention Services in 2020;
  •  Designing of survey and theoretical framework to determine the psychological effects that natural disasters can have on Civil servants and First responders, as well as preventative measures, for the Department of Interior and Kingdom Relations in 2019 & 2020;
  •  Functioning as one of the Case Managers for the 2018 Hurricane Irma Food Voucher Program executed by the Department of Community Development, Family, and Humanitarian Affairs;
  •  Functioning as the Research Officer for the Defining and Structuring of the Family Affairs segment project for the Department of Community Development, Family, and Humanitarian Affairs in 2016 & 2017; and
  •  Conducting a research study on the effects of poverty on women in St. Maarten, and their involvement in criminal activity, for the Department of Social Development in 2013.

  Her academic background in social psychology and work experience have made her knowledgeable and broadened her understanding of the effects that individual behaviors can have on others.

  Rashida is also a lover of personal development and entrepreneurship.

• 

  Ria Uiterloo

  Ria Uiterloo is an educator, empowerment coach, and long-standing community advocate with over three decades of experience in education, media, and public health awareness. As a board member and former coordinator of prevention programs for the St. Maarten AIDS Foundation since 1990, she has been instrumental in implementing impactful HIV/AIDS intervention and youth empowerment initiatives.

  These include the nationally recognized GirlPower program and school-based Youth Consultations are developed in collaboration with stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health, the American University of the Caribbean, the School of Medicine, and international partners.
  Ria has produced educational media content, organized Candlelight Memorials, and facilitated live youth dialogues on sexual health and responsible decision-making.
  She has trained facilitators on St. Maarten, St Eustatius, and Saba and continues to implement and oversee community-based health projects like Healthy Schools and Communities. With a background in education management, journalism, and visual arts, she brings creativity, passion, and cultural sensitivity to every initiative aimed at uplifting and empowering young people across the island.

• 

  Ugoeze Uhegwu

• 

  Wai Lam

  Dr Wai Fan Lam was born in Hong Kong, grew up in the Netherlands, and studied at the medical school of Leiden University. 

  Before the internship, he did the PhD research at the Department of Gastroenterology of the Leiden Medical Center. 

  During his internship at Leyenburg Ziekenhuis in The Hague, he became enthusiastic about ObGyn. He did the ObGyn training in Leiden and The Hague (Westeinde ziekenhuis). He was trained as a general gynecologist with urogynecology as a subspecialism. After the residency, he worked as a consultant in the Netherlands for more than 10 years.

  In 2016 he decided to change his habitat and worked in the Diakonessenhuis in Paramaribo. 

  In 2018 he started as a consultant in the SMMC. Besides the general ob-gyn, he is interested in urogynecology and minimally invasive surgery.