The collapse of the already precarious medical services in Haiti has also lead to increased Haitian demand for free or very low cost services in public hospitals in the Dominican Republic. Most women arrive shortly before giving birth to the emergency rooms of the hospital.
The progressive increase in Haitian women giving birth in the past 4 years has had a social and economic impact for the Dominican population, as reported in El Dia. The newspaper cites sources indicating that in border hospitals, 90 % of the public hospital delivery rooms are being occupied by Haitians giving birth.
Nationwide, Haitians had made up 12.5% of the births in public hospitals in 2018. In 2020 this was 27.20%, despite the pandemic year. Given the fuel shortages, kidnappings and other security issues in Haiti, and the economic woes of that country, it is expected that Haitians giving birth in the Dominican Republic have increased significantly.
As reported, Haitian women pay 25,000 gourde (US$253) for a birth delivery in Haiti. In the DR, the delivery cost is mostly covered by Dominican taxpayers. Now, more Haitians are traveling to the Dominican Republic to give birth.
An example of this is that in the past nine months, the Estrella Ureña Public Hospital in Santiago has spent RD$14,131,893.67 in deliveries and cesarean sections of Haitian women. Most arrive shortly before giving birth to the emergency room of the hospital.
El Dia reports that the increase in demand is impacting the maternal mortality figures, since about 42% of these deaths correspond to foreigners, especially Haitians, many of whom arrive in poor health conditions to Dominican hospitals. Most have not been vaccinated for Covid, suffer from anemia and have not had timely prenatal check-ups. This results in many patients having to be admitted to costly intensive care units.
The provinces most affected are the National District, Santo Domingo, Santiago, La Altagracia and Valverde. In hospital centers in Valverde and Santiago, Haitian birthing mothers take up 60 to 70% percent of hospital bed availability, according to data from the National Health Service (SNS).
The hospitals registering the highest number of Haitian birthing women are the Materno Infantil San Lorenzo de Los Mina in eastern Santo Domingo, with 2,500 deliveries, and the Hospital Estrella Ureña in Santiago city, with 2,097 deliveries, so far this year. Between January and September 2021, 1,436 natural childbirths and 591 cesarean sections were performed on Haitian immigrants at the Estrella Ureña Hospital.
El Dia highlights that there has been a decline in Dominican women giving birth at the public hospitals as these are displaced by the Haitian population. The National Health System (SNS) data shows Dominican women giving birth declined from 102,205 in 2018 to 58,145 so far this year. Dominican births in private hospitals is on a rise.
Last week the Abinader administration announced it would limit access to public hospital services to undocumented immigrants, except in cases of emergency. Nevertheless, the travel birthing industry is strong and smugglers know who to pay to transport the women to the public hospitals. El Dia reports that the Haitian women about to give birth continue to crowd the public hospitals.
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El Dia
9 November 2021