Dominican Republic proposed to lead World Health Assembly for the first time

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader announced that the Dominican Republic has been unanimously proposed by the countries of the Americas to assume, for the first time in its history, the presidency of the World Health Assembly, the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organization.

Speaking during his sixth Accountability Address, Abinader described the nomination as a historic milestone resulting from sustained technical and institutional reforms led by the Ministry of Public Health, which have positioned the country as a respected regional reference on global health issues.

The president stressed that these achievements go beyond symbolic recognition, stating that disciplined planning, scientific rigor, and human commitment have allowed the Dominican Republic to advance and emerge as a regional leader in public health.

Abinader also announced that the country received the Country CureAll Poster Winner 2025 and the CureAll Americas Poster Award 2025, honors granted by organizations linked to the WHO and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in recognition of strengthened comprehensive care and institutional support for childhood cancer programs.

Additionally, the Dominican Republic was named a “Champion Country” for its progress in the regional response to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, highlighting advances in combined prevention strategies and universal access to treatment.