The director of the regional section of the Dominican Medical Association (CMD) Manases Pena has told Hoy newspaper that doctors have been seeing a larger number of Haitian patients since the hospitals eliminated patient fees. He called on the government to send the complementary resources now that the hospitals are not able to charge patients. Most of the patients who are being seen are undocumented Haitians who arrive seeking the free healthcare services. Pena said that in the case of the Jose Maria Cabral y Baez Public Hospital the funds spent on Haitian patients are up 40% in 2013 and the trend is for this to continue increasing.
Pena says that the Immigrant Legalization Plan should obligate employees to pay medical insurance for their workers of any nationality to contribute to lower the cost of treating them at public hospitals. He said most of the Haitian patients they see are undocumented.
www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2014/1/12/306671/Aumentan-pacientes-haitianos-en-hospitales-de-Santiago-y-otras-provincias