Health Record Rights Index · country brief · this country's data as of October 1, 2026
Who holds the health record in Suriname?
In 2026, Suriname scores 33 out of 100 for how much say a person has over their own health record. It is tied for 142nd of 198 countries and territories, and could rank anywhere from 109th to 169th allowing for scoring error, in the Weak band (25 to 44). Who holds the keys: doctors, hospitals and insurers. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of October 1, 2026.
Doctors, hospitals and insurers decide. Its strongest right, compared with the typical country, is control over who sees it (35 out of 100, against 30 for the typical country). The furthest behind is privacy and security (30 out of 100, against 45 for the typical country).
Since May 2025 the Civil Code gives Surinamese patients a right to a copy of their file, but no data protection law or regulator exists.
Published · updated · this country's data as of October 1, 2026 · research tool, not legal advice
overall score · Weak band, 25 to 44
33/100
rank among 198 countries and territories; likely 109th to 169th, allowing for scoring error
In 2026, getting your full record scores 40 out of 100 in Suriname; the typical country scores 40 to 45. Article 7:456 of the Civil Code, in force since 1 May 2025, gives a right to inspect and copy the medical file, with no fixed deadline and a fee allowed for copies. The My Health app shows part of the record for patients of about 63 listed GPs. Source: De Nationale Assemblee, December 5, 2024, and the other sources below.
Who controls health records in Suriname?
In 2026, doctors, hospitals and insurers hold the keys to your health record in Suriname. Control over who sees it scores 35 out of 100 in Suriname; the typical country scores 30. The Civil Code bars providers from sharing the file outside the treating team without consent, and patients can demand its destruction. Source: De Nationale Assemblee, December 5, 2024, and the other sources below.
How does Suriname compare?
In 2026, Suriname scores 33 out of 100, against 39 for the typical country. This brief compares it with Antigua and Barbuda (33 out of 100), Paraguay (33 out of 100) and Belize (34 out of 100). Source: the ranking of all 198 countries and territories.
Eight rights, compared with Antigua and Barbuda, Paraguay, Belize and the typical country
Scores out of 100, by right
Getting your full record20%
40
35 · 33 · 25
Control over who sees it20%
35
30 · 27 · 25
Privacy and security15%
30
42 · 35 · 30
One record across your care15%
30
28 · 40 · 55
Protection from sale and ads10%
30
42 · 30 · 25
Doctors see it when treating you10%
25
25 · 33 · 55
Your say over research use5%
46
43 · 46 · 43
Rules for AI in your care5%
20
20 · 30 · 20
Black dot: Suriname. Hollow dots: Antigua and Barbuda, Paraguay, Belize (scores out of 100 on the right, same order). Gray line: the typical country of all 198. Overall: Suriname 33 out of 100. Scores move in steps of about 5 points, so read a rank with its likely range.
What would Suriname need to change to score higher?
Suriname sits in Weak (25 to 44); Mixed starts at 45. Its two weakest rights, compared with the typical country and weighted by how much each counts, are privacy and security (30 out of 100, against 45 for the typical country) and protection from sale and ads (30 out of 100, against 45 for the typical country). Our scoring rules give more points for:
Privacy and security: A health data regulator that is independent and actually acts: it decides cases about health records, breaches must be reported, and fines are applied.
Protection from sale and ads: Clear limits on selling health data or using it for ads, covering apps and data brokers as well as doctors and hospitals.
Which laws give health record rights in Suriname?
Grondwet van de Republiek Suriname, artikel 17 (1987): Right to respect for private life, family, home, honour and good name.
Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 7, afdeling geneeskundige behandeling (S.B. 2024 no. 164): In force 1 May 2025: patient file, copy right, destruction on request, consent before disclosure, research exception.
Ontwerpwet Bescherming Privacy en Persoonsgegevens (draft) (undated): Pending bill: health data special category, 72-hour breach notice, independent Commissioner, fines.
Doctors, waits and private care context, not part of the score
Doctors per 10,000
13.1 2024
Nurses and midwives per 10,000
18.4 2024
Private insurance + out-of-pocket
24.5% 2023
Record reaches private care?
unknown
Compulsory private insurance, counted separately: 7.9% of health spending (2023).
Real cases
We found no real cases published in the last two years.
In 2026, Suriname scored 33 out of 100 for how much say a person has over their own health record, tied for 142nd of 198 countries and territories (could be 109th to 169th), in the Weak band. Who holds the keys: doctors, hospitals and insurers. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of October 1, 2026, https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/suriname/
The 14 sources for Suriname
Each source appears once, under the first right it supports. Titles are shown as our research agents recorded them, usually in the page's own language; text in square brackets is our machine translation. Links were checked on the date shown.
De Nationale Assemblee [The National Assembly] (law or regulation) · Title in Dutch
Dated December 5, 2024 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Getting your full record; Control over who sees it; Privacy and security; Protection from sale and ads; Doctors see it when treating you; Your say over research use
“Inwerkingtreding nieuw Burgerlijk Wetboek vindt voortgang op 1 mei 2025” [Entry into force of new Civil Code proceeds on 1 May 2025] our machine translation
Kabinet van de President [Cabinet of the President] (government guidance) · Title in Dutch
Dated April 30, 2025 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“Lancering My Health-app: Surinaamse burgers krijgen digitale toegang tot eigen medische gegevens” [Launch of My Health app: Surinamese citizens get digital access to their own medical data] our machine translation
Ministerie van Volksgezondheid [Ministry of Health] (government guidance) · Title in Dutch
Dated May 21, 2025 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Getting your full record; Control over who sees it
“Suriname schittert op internationaal podium: Ministerie van Volksgezondheid sleept drie Digital Health-prijzen in de wacht” [Suriname shines on international stage: Ministry of Health wins three Digital Health awards] our machine translation
gov.sr (government guidance) · Title in Dutch
Dated August 3, 2026 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: One record across your care; Doctors see it when treating you
SuperTruth Inc. · 24 S. 24th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA · +1 215 918 4140 · supertruth.ai Something wrong? Tell us · Questions or a briefing: supertruth.ai/on-the-record#contact · Full index: healthrecordrights.com
OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (38 mostly high-income countries). DTI™: the Data Trust Index, which grades the evidence behind each score. SuperTruth makes it and publishes this index. Everything here comes from public information: laws, government and regulator pages, court decisions, published news, WHO, OECD and World Bank data. Full sources: https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/suriname/#sources. SuperTruth built this index and sells health data verification products; no one paid to be included. Research tool, not legal advice. Our scores and our own words are CC BY 4.0; quoted law and source titles stay with their owners.
