Health workers protest outside Congress

SantoDomingo.- The National Health Alliance (CONASALUD) is holding a vigil outsidethe Congress building in Santo Domingo today. They are calling on the senatorsand deputies to approve a bill that establishes that 5% of the GDP will beallocated to health in the next National Budget for 2016.

Theprotesters say that the health sector cannot survive on barely 1.6% of GDPwhile some people in the country die of simple diseases for lack of essentialmedicines and equipment for tests.

Theysay that if 5% of GDP is assigned “healthcare will be provided to the poorestpeople in the country, it would reduce the deficit in the sector, and improvesocio-economic conditions for health workers and professionals”.

Theorganization points out that although the current health budget allocation totals just 1.9% ofGDP, the sector has to pass on over 0.5% to other institutions, leaving it withbarely 1.4%.

Thehealth sector groups taking part in the vigil for 5% of GDP include theassociation’s members UNASE-CASC, UNASED-CNTD, FENATRASAL, ADEG and CANATEunions.