The Dominican government signed an agreement with a US group, Mapet International Foundation for the construction of four advanced medical centers. A US$520 million investment will be made in the centers that should be operational in 18 to 24 months, as reported by Hoy newspaper. The new centers are: 1) General Trauma, Emergency Medicine and Nuestra Señora de Fátima Hospital in Santiago. US$325 million. 2) Maternity-Children Hospital and Mario Antonio Perez Tapia Nursing School in La Vega. US$78.7 million 3) Cancer, AIDS and Contagious Sicknesses Hospital. US$112 million. 4) National Blood Center Dominicano (blood bank, laboratory, dialysis center). US$3.5 million. This will operate in collaboration with the Blood Bank of South Florida. As per the agreement, Mapet International Foundation will administer the hospitals for 25 years, after which they will become Dominican government property. Mapet will fund the construction and equipping of the hospitals, and the Dominican government will provide the property where they will be built and will exempt the organizations from all taxes on equipment, materials used for the operation of the projects. Mario Pérez, who signed for Mapet, announced construction works would start 15 February. The agreement, though, is pending congressional approval. The agreed upon privileges could become controversial, especially since several businessmen have invested millions, paying taxes, to build new large medical centers in Santiago.
