Dr. Roberto Franklin Abreu, a neurosurgeon and former president of the Dominican Society of Spine Surgery, recently warned about a “silent crisis” in the national health system. Speaking at the 9th Congress of his scientific organization in Punta Cana, Dr. Abreu highlighted the alarming rate at which young Dominicans are becoming paraplegic due to traffic accidents, particularly those involving motorcycles. He specifically called attention to the prevalence of illegal motorcycle races on the Duarte Highway, especially on the Bonao-La Vega and La Vega-Santiago stretches, where riders risk their lives in clandestine competitions.
.
According to Dr. Abreu, 30% of polytrauma and traffic accident victims suffer from spinal cord injuries, leading to permanent neurological deficits. These cases primarily affect young people between 18 and 40 years old. “Every week, our Hospital Traumatológico y Quirúrgico Prof. Juan Bosch receives one to two young paraplegic patients with spinal injuries that require some type of surgical intervention,” he stated.
The neurosurgeon also detailed the substantial economic burden these injuries place on the public health system. “The cost of a paraplegic patient at the hospital level, including surgery, spinal instrumentation, and intensive care management, ranges between one million and one and a half million pesos,” he underscored.
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
29 July 2025