To offer more support to the sick
President Danilo Medina met yesterday with the governmental health sector, with whom he agreed to increase the fund which the government has available to face catastrophic illnesses suffered by patients in the public hospitals.
The meeting was held in the offices of the President in the Presidential Palace. There, it was also agreed that in some two weeks, Medina would release a national health plan, with the objective of improving the conditions of this sector in the Dominican Republic.
At the end of the meeting, the Minister of Public Health, Freddy Hidalgo, indicated that at the present time they are spending RD$1.5 billion to deal with chronic illnesses, but these resources will be considerably increased. He did not specify the amount which would be assigned for this use.
The official indicated that the strengthening of primary care, and the service networks also are a part of the plans that the President has to improve health in the country.
Likewise, Hidalgo said that they are carrying out a survey in order to determine the number of hospitals that were built during the last administration and which still have yet to be open to the public, including the new Oncological Hospital.
Regarding the arrears of the subsidies to the hospitals, Hidalgo recognized that there are centers that have as many as three monthly quotas in arrears, but they are working to normalize the situation.
Dominican Republic Live, from DL, 13.09.12, 12pm
