Closed clinics, silence fuel organ-trafficking fears in Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- The surprise closure of three privateclinics in Santo Domingo East and the Justice Ministry’s silence have fueledspeculation that organ trafficking is behind the case of 10-year-old CarlaMassiel Cabrera, who vanished last year, and which has rocked the country.

In a statement the Public Health Ministry affirmed it collaborateswith the Justice Ministry and other authorities, which have raided severalclinics on a bench warrant.

Meanwhile members of the National Transplant Council (CNT)and the National Transplant Coordination Institute (INCORT) asked that the Officeof the Prosecutor proceed carefully and suspend the searches at private medicalcenters in Santo Domingo East, because in their view, "only serve to reinforcespublic opinion on the "urban legend which arises from time to time of allegedorgan trafficking.”

Moreover National Health Service (NHS) director NelsonRodriguez said that while only the Public Health Ministry regulates privatehealth centers, it’s up to the Justice Ministry to investigate alleged organtrafficking.

Mum

Santo Domingo province prosecutor Olga Dinah Llaverias, whoreportedly, heads the investigation directly, refused to provide details whendiariolibre.com reached her by phone, and said onl that she will not speak aboutthat case.

Aslo fueling speculation were the doctors at the Clinica de Salud IntegralII, which was also shuttered, convened a press conference Thursday night but was subsequentlycanceled despit that all the media present.