St. Maarten is an Island of no more that 34 square miles that before its main source of income became tourism was poverty ridden and where the men worked on more prosperous neighboring Islands. The Island is known for its unique situation of being shared by two countries the French as well as the Dutch Antilleans. Statistics show a population growth between 1982 and 1992 of 250% (Census 1992) causing great strain on the infrastructure, government, the education system, health care facilities etc.
The history of the White and Yellow Cross foundation shows the same pattern as the Island itself. Statutes reveal the establishment of the foundation in 1972 while since the 1900 clergy began providing health care on St. Maarten they brought into the foundation the St. Rose Hospital, St. Martin's Home for the Elderly, The District Nursing for Mother and Child Care and Home Care, the Sister Basilia Center for the disabled. In 1991 St. Maarten Medical Center was officially established under a new foundation and the White and Yellow Cross, no longer provides hospital care.
Still the White and Yellow Cross remains the major health care provider on the Dutch side of St. Maarten by providing for elderly care, nursing home care somatic as well as geriatric, revalidation care, disabled residence and day care, post natal care, baby clinics, nursing care.
The objective of the Foundation is,' the general social well being of the population of St. Maarten by providing health care services to those in need of care in the broadest sense regardless of their religion'.
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