Call for UN to take strong action on Haiti crisis

Santo Domingo.- Senator Daniel Rivera, former Minister of Public Health and current representative for Santiago, urged the United Nations (UN) and the international community to help restore safe conditions in Haiti so that Haitian women can receive medical care in their own country. Rivera emphasized that Haitian doctors are afraid to practice due to the control of armed gangs over much of the country, making healthcare access extremely difficult.

In response to international criticism—particularly from Amnesty International, which has denounced the repatriation of Haitian women and alleged human rights violations—Rivera defended the Dominican Republic’s immigration and healthcare practices. He invited observers to witness firsthand the treatment of Haitian women in Dominican hospitals, stating that many arrive without prenatal care, which negatively impacts public health statistics. He also pointed out that Haiti has more than 450 hospitals and seven maternity centers, and called for international cooperation to ensure those facilities are operational and safe.

Amnesty International, in contrast, released a video urging President Luis Abinader to stop deportations, citing over 180,000 repatriations since 2024 without individual evaluations, which they claim reflects racial discrimination. Dominican legislators strongly rejected the accusations, maintaining that the country has been one of Haiti’s most consistent supporters and affirming that while emergency medical care will continue for Haitian women in labor, immigration laws must still be enforced. Rivera concluded by stating, “The Haiti issue has gotten out of hand, and we cannot solve it alone.”