The Ministry of Health and Sanar una Nación have signed a key agreement to strengthen maternal and child care in the Dominican Republic, delivering more than 235,000 medical treatments valued at over 900,000 dollars. This initiative seeks to improve access to essential services in vulnerable areas.
Details of the agreement for maternal and child care
The signing, held in Santo Domingo, represents a joint commitment by the Ministry of Public Health (Mispas) with the non-profit organization Sanar una Nación. The treatments include medications from the National List of Medicines for the First Level of Care and the Basic Table of Essential Medicines, targeting children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers.
Beneficiary provinces and priority focus
The provinces of Independencia and Pedernales, in the deep south, will be the main recipients. These areas, part of the Enriquillo Regional Health Service, face epidemiological challenges that increase maternal and child mortality. The National Health Service (SNS) will coordinate deliveries and monitor morbidity indicators.
Specific commitments of the parties
- Sanar una Nación contributes medications, supplies, and fortified foods to hospitals and first-level centers.
- The SNS reports on mortality rates and facilitates distribution.
Context and progress in maternal and child care
This pact aligns with previous efforts by the SNS, which reports a 57.5% reduction in maternal mortality and 21% in infant mortality. Initiatives like this respond to national priorities, where the government drives actions to reduce early neonatal death. Sanar una Nación, backed by business alliances such as Grupo Popular, has delivered millions in contributions, focusing on pregnancy complications and child development.
Experts emphasize that these programs, with committees of medical advisors, prioritize Dominican public health. In 2019, similar agreements with the SNS already sought the same in these provinces. Recent training, such as those with Fundación Popular, strengthens medical personnel on topics of lactation and humanized childbirth.
Maternal and child care gains momentum with this agreement, which could be replicated in other regions. Official statistics show progress, but gaps persist in rural areas. Organizations like Sanar una Nación continue their philanthropic work, benefiting those most in need.
This agreement reaffirms the role of the Ministry of Health in public-private partnerships to elevate maternal and child care, directly impacting the quality of life in the Dominican Republic.
