Santo Domingo.- Senator Daniel Rivera, a former Minister of Public Health, highlighted that 17% of the over RD$128,000 million allocated in the 2025 State budget for public health is consumed by Haitian women giving birth, road accidents, surgeries, and diseases like HIV/AIDS. Rivera revealed that approximately 30,000 Haitian women give birth annually in the Dominican Republic, often crossing the border through mountainous regions with support from international organizations. This influx significantly strains the country’s healthcare system.
Rivera emphasized that delivering care to Haitian mothers costs the Dominican government around RD$364 million annually, with each birth averaging $200 USD in Haiti. He expressed concern that the unprepared arrival of these women often displaces Dominican patients, especially pregnant women awaiting cesarean deliveries. Rivera noted that maternal mortality in this group is 47% and pointed out the additional burden of providing medications and blood supplies, which are not replenished by donations from the recipients.
The senator criticized Haiti’s lack of political stability and functional governance, which he believes exacerbates the migration crisis. Rivera urged the international community to address Haiti’s instability and invest in its economic development to reduce illegal immigration. He also highlighted Dominican contributions to training Haitian doctors, suggesting they should assume greater responsibility for healthcare in their country. Fellow senators Julito Fulcar and Félix Bautista echoed his concerns, emphasizing the need for urgent solutions to the long-standing crisis.