Thousands of Haitian women travel to the Dominican Republic every year to give birth. The free medical care they receive here is a heavy burden on the Dominican public health budget. The birth tourism also negatively affects the maternal mortality rates in the country. Hundreds of the Haitian women who make the difficult trip to a Dominican hospital arrive with pre-existing medical conditions.
A report in Hoy newspaper reveals that in 2017 the care for Haitian births cost the country RD$5 billion. With a population of 10.7 million inhabitants, Haiti has 115 hospitals with 7,375 beds, where 911 physicians are employed. There are 3,018 nurses.
According to the Statistical Report on the Sanitary Situation in Haiti presented by that country’s Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), 80% of the hospitals and doctors are located in urban areas. 50% of the Haitian population lives in rural areas. The MSPP says that the larger chapters for funds for public health come in the form of international cooperation and that in recent years donations are down.
In the Dominican Republic there are 191 public hospitals with 8,000 beds and another 1,8730 primary care units. There are 15,170 physicians working in the public health sector, and another 1,881 medical interns. There are 3,698 registered nurses and 10,101 nursing assistants.
According to reports from the National Health Service (SNS) at the Maternidad Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia 25% of those attended are undocumented Haitians, at the Hospital Materno Infantil San Lorenzo de Los Mina, 27%; in Santiago 30% to 35% of the births are to undocumented Haitians and at the public hospitals on the border with Haiti 80%.
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Hoy
14 February 2018
