Santo Domingo, February 21, 2018 (PAHO / WHO) - The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, met today with President Danilo Medina Sánchez of the Dominican Republic to discuss the main health challenges facing the country, particularly maternal and child mortality, the quality of health services and the need to address noncommunicable diseases with a multisectorial approach.
During the meeting, Dr. Etienne referred to the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Central American Integration System, which the Dominican Republic holds during the first six months of 2018, and to the binational project between the Dominican Republic and Haiti (DOM-HAI) for the improvement of maternal and child health in the northern border of both countries. In addition, they discussed the importance of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and of compliance with the 2030 Agenda.
The Director of PAHO, which is also the regional office of the World Health Organization for the Americas, thanked the president for the humanitarian support given to Dominica after the passage of Hurricane Maria, which hit the island on September 18 of 2017.
Dr. Etienne congratulated President Medina on the country's progress in road safety, with the approval of Law 63-17 on Mobility, Land Transportation, Traffic and Security, and on the creation of the National Institute of Land Transit (INTRANT). The new law considers the implementation of the Permanent Observatory on Road Safety, responsible for collecting information to improve road safety, and also the National School of Road Education (Enevial), which will govern training and education in transportation, land transit, and road safety, as well as coordinate with private entities in that sphere.
In this context and prior to her meeting with the President, Dr. Etienne met with the Minister of the Presidency, Gustavo Montalvo, to discuss issues such as road safety, strengthening the National System of Emergency and Safety 9-1-1, the Health City model within the framework of the Integrated Health Services Network (IHSN), maternal mortality, and the need for a multisectoral, high-level approach to noncommunicable diseases, among other issues.
