The director of the Instituto Nacional de Bienestar Estudiantil (Inabie), Adolfo Pérez, announced the withdrawal of the multivitamin gummies project after a intense public debate, mainly due to the estimated costs. The plan envisioned a total expenditure of 151.2 million pesos, with a top price of 18 pesos per unit, destined to supplement the nutrition of students in initial, primary, and secondary levels of the public sector.
During the Weekly Lunch of the Communications Group Corripio, Pérez emphasized that this decision reflects the government’s commitment to listening to citizens. “This is a government that listens and I am also a public servant who listens”, he declared, highlighting the need to improve the contracting procedure in the face of the observations received.
Technical committee to delve into multivitamin gummies
To evaluate the multivitamin gummies project with greater rigor, a broad technical committee was formed. It includes the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Dominican Society of Pediatrics and the Dominican Society of Nutrition. The College of Medical Doctors of the Dominican Republic (CMD), the Ministry of Public Health (MSP), and the Ministry of Education (MINERD) also participate.
The goal is to verify the relevance of these supplements and ensure legitimacy in the results. Pérez underscored the focus on the health of 70,000 children with identified malnutrition, aligned with measurements of height and weight that the Inabie regularly performs.
Context of school nutrition at Inabie
The multivitamin gummies project emerged from the Health and Nutrition Department of Inabie, led by a pediatrician, to complement school breakfasts and lunches. The institution already executes programs such as protein supplementation, deworming, lice control, and auditory and visual checks.
“We have a commitment to the health and nutrition of students, especially those in vulnerable conditions”, Pérez expressed.
Background and criticism of the plan
Statistics from the Ministry of Public Health indicate that 12% of Dominican children suffer from chronic malnutrition, justifying initiatives like multivitamin gummies. However, the General Directorate of Public Procurement previously defended the tender, although the withdrawal responds to concerns about transparency and cost-benefit. Experts from the FAO have endorsed vitamin supplements in similar programs in Latin America, improving school performance by 15% according to regional studies.
Pérez’s team, including the subdirector Gilberto Santana and Dr. Ana Zabala, accompanied the presentation. This pause allows adjustments to relaunch the multivitamin gummies project with greater technical support and social acceptance.
