Vice President Raquel Peña to meet with U.S. Health Secretary RFK Jr. in Washington

Santo Domingo.- Vice President Raquel Peña will travel to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to meet with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to discuss strategies for strengthening public health systems, preventing disease, and expanding bilateral cooperation.

The meeting forms part of the ongoing agenda of the Dominican Republic’s Health Cabinet, led by Peña, and reflects the government’s efforts to enhance public health policies through partnerships with international allies.

Also participating in the talks will be U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Leah Campos and Dominican Minister of Public Health Víctor Atallah. Discussions will focus on improving healthcare accessibility, prevention-based policies, and strengthening the country’s capacity to address major public health challenges.

A key topic will be the U.S. Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, which promotes preventive healthcare, healthier lifestyles, and greater public access to health information to combat the rise of chronic diseases.

Both delegations are also expected to exchange experiences on reducing risk factors for non-communicable diseases, strengthening primary healthcare, promoting health education, and implementing policies aimed at improving health outcomes.

Peña is scheduled to depart Tuesday morning from San Isidro Air Base. The visit is also intended to deepen Dominican Republic-U.S. cooperation in public health, health policy innovation, and the exchange of technical expertise to support more sustainable healthcare systems.