dominican-republic-holiday.com

This is really a holiday website so first I will address the Dominican health issues for travellers!

Medical facilities:

Medical care is limited, especially outside Santo Domingo, and the quality of care varies widely among facilities.

Outside the capital, emergency services can be limited and can blood supplies at both public and private hospitals. There is however a private nationwide ambulance service, ProMed, which operates in Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata and La Romana; Telephone number is 809-548-7200. They will expect full payment at the time of transport.

Tap water Do not drink the tap water. It is unsafe to drink and should be avoided. You should also not use it to brush your teeth. I have followed these basic rules when visiting the Dominican Republic and can honestly say that I have not been ill yet! Bottled water and beverages are safe.

Dengue: Dengue is endemic to the Dominican Republic. To reduce the risk of contracting dengue, the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends applying a repellent containing the insecticide DEET (concentration 30 to 35 percent) or Picaridin (concentration 20 percent or greater for tropical travelers).

Malaria: There are occasional reports of cases of malaria in areas frequented by U.S. and European tourists including La Altagracia Province, the easternmost province in which many beach resorts are located. Malaria risk is significantly higher for travelers who go on some of the excursions to the countryside offered by many resorts.

The fact is that is you take simple precautions you should be OK. Consult your Embassy/medical practicioner for advice.

Dominican Health Systems

There are three different medical systems within the DR country:

1] A socialized system -mainly for the indigent and extremely poor of the country. Essentially this is free government medical care although the patient may need to purchase some medical supplies and pay a minimum fee for services.

This service provides vaccinations and infant rehydration supplies but as most medicines are imported, they are too expensive to provide for free in large quantities. 2] The Social Security system -for those workers who earn less than RD$4,000 per month. Social Security only provides coverage for the workers themselves and maternity services for spouses; children are not covered.

3] Private clinics -these are effectively hospitals, providing services for payment. They are the most well-equipped and well-staffed, both by qualifieddoctors and nursing personnel. Fees range from RD$400 to RD$3000 for a first visit, depending on the clinic and the specialist.

The vast majority of your medical needs can be met on the island. Interventions, however, requiring high-tech equipment or a long period of rehabilitation may not be available.

Medical insurance A worker earning less than RD$4,000 per month will be making Social Security payments and entitled to the benefits of the government health services.

Many employers provide something called an iguala, which can also be purchased on an individual basis. Monthly payments are made to a clinic, which agrees to provide all of the medical services that you need at no additional cost.

Foreign insurance companies based here (primarily from the US) offer insurance which includes coverage abroad. The best idea is to purchase a policy with a very high deductible (excess) for overseas care to reduce the cost, as this is essentially only for major disasters.

Infant health
Even though 99% of pregnancies and childbirth are attended by health professionals (doctors, obstetricians, and nurses), every 24 hours another woman dies as a result of complications during pregnancy and at childbirth, according to an ENDESA 2002 survey of health demographics.

Malnutrition can also be a problem with 8% of children in urban areas are classified as suffering from chronic malnutrition (low height for their age) in comparison with 11% of children in rural areas.