Public health care involves promoting public health and equal health opportunities through collective interventions aimed at health protection, health promotion, and disease prevention.  

Laboratories play a crucial role in supporting public health care in both human and non-human diagnostics. In human diagnostics, laboratories are involved in analyzing samples such as blood, urine, tissues, and other body fluids to diagnose diseases. Non-human tests include water, food, soil, air and concrete testing. 

In accordance with the Wet Publieke Gezondheid BES (WPGBES), the Bonaire Laboratorium NV (Bonlab NV) is the designated laboratory on Bonaire for conducting tests for public health and justice purposes. The Public Health Act BES is aimed at safeguarding public health. The responsibilities that Public Administrations must regularly fulfill include:  

• Monitoring health aspects of administrative decisions; 

• Gaining epidemiological insight into the health situation of the population; 

• Contributing to the design, implementation, and coordination of prevention programs, including measures to prevent, control, and manage infectious diseases; 

• Promoting medical-environmental care focused on the relationship between the population's health and its living environment, including factors such as air quality and (drinking) water; 

• Promoting youth health care, which includes promoting the health of children and adolescents, with attention to prevention, screening, and health promotion; 

• Monitoring public health care in emergencies, including measures to protect the health of the population during emergencies such as natural disasters or epidemics.