DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

In the wake of a series of tragic incidents where at least seven children were killed by their own parents this August, Minister of Interior and Police Faride Raful has stated that the country has a significant “social debt” when it comes to mental health.

Just this Monday, 24 August, a young mother gave her three children, ages 11, 9 and 7 poisoned juice and then took her share. The father returned home to find his family dead.

Following a meeting with the Joint Task Force, which included President Luis Abinader and Public Health Minister Víctor Atallah, Raful addressed the issue, emphasizing that mental health had not been a priority for many years in the Dominican Republic. She stressed that while it is fundamentally a health issue, it has also become a matter of public safety, demanding a coordinated response to protect children and other vulnerable groups.

“Mental...