DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The Ministry of Public Health under cardiologist Victor Atallah since January 2024 has been pushing for prevention to avoid high costs of reactive health care.

The evidence is clear in the case of heart diseases. Cardiovascular diseases continue to be the principal cause of death in the Dominican Republic. Critics argue that the country’s healthcare model is fundamentally flawed, offering significantly less coverage for the early detection of cardiovascular disease than it does for the resulting, and far more costly complications.

A recent feature in Listin Diario by journalist Deyanira Polanco highlights how the system is rigged against prevention, with the health providers authorizing expensive post heart attack procedures but scrimping on preventive measures.

Listin Diario reports that Health Risk Administrators (ARS) in the Dominican Republic are facing...