An agent of the Transit and Land Transportation (Digesett) became the “hero of the day” when she helped a woman of Haitian nationality give birth on board a public transport vehicle. The birth took place in the province of Monte Plata.
Digesett confirmed that traffic agent Belkis de la Rosa Severino served as a paramedic and assisted the mother who gave birth in the taxi. The mother and baby are fine.
After the feat, the woman (whose name is unknown) and the baby were transferred by 911 Emergency Service to the Angel Contreras Public Hospital of Monte Plata.
Given Haiti’s collapse of medical services, thousands of Haitians travel to the Dominican Republic to give birth for free or at a low cost at public hospitals. The births cause major problems because the woman arrive to the emergency services with no previous check-ups or records.
Listin Diario reports that as of September 2021, this year Dominican public health hospitals have rendered 275,993 services to Haitian patients, most for free in emergency services. Listin Diario reports a high demand for medical care, including general and specialized outpatient consultations, births, emergencies, surgeries, hospitalizations, clinical diagnoses, and imaging.
Read more in Spanish:
Hoy
El Caribe
Listin Diario
5 November 2021
Updated 8 November 2021