Minister of Public Health, Altagracia Guzman Marcelino, announced on 29 November 2017 the imminent start of the work sessions for the talks for the Public Health Ten Year Plan (PLANDES 2018-2028). These will be coordinated by the Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo (INTEC).
The main points that will be addressed are: Complete the development and strengthening of the Servicio Nacional de Salud and the Red Publica Unica. These are the national health service and single public health network.
Another priority of the Ministry is to close the gap between first level care facilities in the public sector. The goal is to be able to improve the public’s access to entry level medical care for both public and private healthcare facilities, with the aim of reducing costs for healthcare, for everyone, either those who are insured or those who do not have health insurance.
Another point to be discussed is the modernization of the Plan de Servicios de Salud (PDSS), the health services plan, so that the healthcare provided can quickly and effectively address the various epidemiological profiles of the population.
The Ministry is also seeking an increase of government spending in public health through the financing of collective health services, incorporating uninsured population to the Sistema Dominicano de Seguridad Social (SDSS), the Dominican Social Security System, and the expansion of benefits of the high cost pharmaceuticals program to include persons that are not covered by health plans.
30 November 2017
