View the full post Bedford Hospital shares story of Grenada-born mental health nurse on NOW Grenada.

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Institute for Quality (INDOCAL) has announced the release of a Technical Standard for Medical Tourism, aimed at establishing quality criteria for the entire value chain of the sector. The standard aims to ensure the best practices and safety of patients and their families while promoting protocols and standards that enhance confidence in the Dominican Republic as a destination for health services.

Lorenzo Ramírez, the general director of INDOCAL, stated that the NORDOM ISO 22525:2020 standard, approved by the Dominican Council for Quality (CODOCA), takes a comprehensive approach to medical care throughout the patient’s journey.

Ramírez further explained that this standard, in line with national development goals, was developed through an extensive consultation process involving the INDOCAL Technical Tourism Committee. The committee consisted of experts from the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR), the Ministry of Public Health (MSP), the Dominican Association of Health Tourism (ADTS), the Association of Hotels and Tourism (ASONAHORES), and other entities. They reached a consensus to promote the standard in order to enhance the security of this thriving market niche.

Dr. Alejandro Cambiaso, president of the ADTS, praised the NORDOM ISO 22525 standard for medical tourism. He highlighted that it incorporates compliance with local licensing and accreditation standards of the Ministry of Public Health, regulatory standards of the Ministry of Tourism, and specialized ISO international standards for medical tourism. These international standards have been validated by numerous countries, representing a significant step forward.

Cambiaso emphasized that this regulation does not replace international accreditations but rather complements and strengthens them. It allows the country to aspire to the development of a culture of quality and compliance in the healthcare sector.

The adopted ISO standard can be applied to various organizations involved in medical tourism, including healthcare providers, plastic surgery centers, dentistry clinics, tour operators, medical facilitators, hotels, and specialized recovery centers.

“Thanks to this project, the screening of newborns can be pursued by rapid tests made available in health facilities in Grenada, and Antigua and Barbuda”

View the full post OECS Observes World Sickle Day on NOW Grenada.

The Dominican Medical Association (CMD) revealed that it is investigating a person with an apparent false registration operating as a doctor in a health center in the province of Puerto Plata.

The president of the association, Senén Caba, did not give details of the person being followed so as not to hinder the investigation process.

He added that a false doctor had been brought to justice in the same province, but the authorities “did nothing” about it.

The doctor said that he has collaborated with journalist Nuria Piera, who has denounced dozens of doctors working in the country’s health centers with false qualifications in several of her investigative programs.

The investigation of the alleged neuroscientist
Recently Nuria Piera investigated Elizabeth Silverio Sillien, an alleged neuroscientist, educator, and pastor, who was the director of the closed Kogland Neurocognitive and Psychopedagogical Therapy Centre, a space located in Gascue and created in December 2021, which she ran with her husband and partner David Báez Zorrilla under the object of pedagogical therapies.

According to what the journalist found out after her investigation, the woman claimed to have a doctorate in Neurosciences in the modality of cognitive-brain intervention in clinical and pedagogical areas, claiming to be a graduate of Cambridge University in England.

She claimed to have a master’s degree in Academic Management Administration and Educational Corporate Modeling from the West Indies University Campus.

Silverio Sillien also claimed to have a Ph.D. in child and general neuroscience, specializing in the intervention of developmental disorders, syndromes, and comorbidities. She also specializes in neurobiological, neurocognitive, and neuropathological areas from the University of Florida.

The fraudulent doctor claimed to have a Master’s degree in ESD model of inclusion, special education at the West Indies, Barbados campus, a specialization in the therapeutic structure of intervention treatment creation at the University of Valencia, Spain, and a postgraduate degree in updating millennial psychological modality.

Following the investigation, the Ministry of Public Health reported that the center was closed, and Elizabeth was ordered to submit an exequatur.

The Hospital Materno Infantil de la Altagracia responded to reports that several people are allegedly lying in the same bed due to the lack of this furniture.

In a communication posted on its social networks, the hospital’s management indicated that it is investigating the complaint while informing that its structure is being intervened.

“This center is currently being intervened in the areas of emergency, surgery, pre-delivery, ICU and dentistry to promote improvements in the quality of care,” the note specifies.

Complaint

This week a woman denounced using a video that her sister, who was admitted to the referred health center, was put to bed with another woman who had given birth.

The woman, whose name is unknown, told the doctor on duty, “You put several people in a bed without knowing if the other person has a contagious disease.”

She added that it is one patient per bed and considered this “an abuse and shamelessness what is being committed at the health center.”

The doctor on duty indicated that they put up to four women in the same bed if necessary since the others would not lie on the floor.

The doctor added, “just because she is your cousin, the others will not be left without a bed.”

“The launch of the Diabetes Nutritional Management Toolkit was held as part of CARPHA’s celebration of Caribbean Nutrition Awareness Month 2023”

View the full post CARPHA Diabetes Nutritional Management Toolkit on NOW Grenada.

We thank all of our unsung heroes who donate blood and encourage more people to become new donors

View the full post World Blood Donor Day 14 June on NOW Grenada.

Santo Domingo.- Around 30,000 individuals visited the National District Blood Bank in the Dominican Republic during the first five months of this year, intending to donate blood to the Dominican Red Cross. However, only 18,307 individuals were deemed eligible for donation.

Out of the eligible donors, 18,005 were replacement donors, while a mere 302 volunteered altruistically, accounting for only 1.67% of the total number. These statistics were provided by César Matos Moronta, the director of the National Network of Blood Banks, on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day on June 14.

Matos Moronta highlighted the World Health Organization’s recommendation that countries should strive for a minimum of 4% voluntary blood donation from the population. Unfortunately, the Dominican Republic falls short of even 2%.

Miguel Sanz Flores, the president of the Dominican Red Cross, emphasized the urgent need to establish a blood donation culture in the country to address the annual deficit of over 200,000 pints of blood. He expressed concern over the difficulties faced by Dominicans when they require blood transfusions and stressed the importance of societal commitment to saving lives through regular blood donation.

To encourage voluntary blood donation, the Red Cross relaunched the campaign “Save me with your pint, donate blood,” led by Dr. Sanz. He emphasized the importance of action rather than mere reminders on specific days, urging the nation to foster a consistent culture of blood donation.

Santo Domingo.- The Global Institute of Higher Studies in Social Sciences (IGLOBAL) organized a seminar titled “The Autism Spectrum: A Global Look at a Multifactorial Disorder” on Tuesday. The aim of the seminar was to raise awareness and sensitize society, especially educators, about autism. Josefina Pimentel, the rector of IGLOBAL, highlighted the shortage of professionals in the country who are trained to work with individuals with autism. She emphasized the need for understanding the characteristics of this condition in order to support holistic development and tap into the potential of children and adults with autism. Pimentel commended the approval of the autism bill in the Chamber of Deputies, although she also noted that certain aspects may need to be adapted to the current realities of Dominican society. She viewed it as a significant step forward.

The seminar took place at the auditorium of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (Funglode). The event brought together medical specialists, teachers, and organizations dedicated to serving individuals with autism, featuring presentations on various aspects of the disorder. The keynote address, titled “A Global Look at a Multifunctional Disorder: Health, Education, and Socialization of People with Autism Spectrum Disorder,” was delivered virtually by Natalia Blanco, the director of the Spanish Federation of Autism, based in Spain.

The seminar covered topics such as the journey from health to well-being for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including early detection, neurological perspectives, socio-emotional dimensions, the family and school environment, and holistic behavior therapy.

The second block of the seminar focused on “Education by and for All,” presenting a vision of education that encompassed school inclusion, the role of support teachers, speech therapy approaches, and the Individualized Educational Program (PEI).

The third block, titled “Strengthening the Support Network for People with ASD,” showcased the contributions of both public and private institutions in ensuring the full lives of individuals with ASD. It included presentations from these institutions as well as testimonies and reflections from two families on their experiences.

The closing conference, “Public Policies in Favor of People with ASD: Facilitating the Path Towards Inclusion,” featured three legislators: Deputy Yudelka de la Rosa and Senators Franklin Rodríguez and Dionis Sánchez. They discussed the “Law of Care, Inclusion, and Protection of People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).”

Santo Domingo.- Despite an increasing number of donors at the National Blood Center, the Dominican Republic continues to face a blood shortage of approximately 150,000 units annually, accounting for around 50% of the national demand of 300,000 units. Dr. Pedro Sing, the director of the National Blood Center, highlighted the significance of voluntary donations and emphasized the need to raise awareness about this crucial act.

He assured that the National Blood Center currently fulfills 100% of the emergency blood supply for the Hugo Mendoza Pediatric Hospital, 65-70% for the Robert Reid Cabral Hospital, and close to 50% for the Francisco Moscoso Puello, Salvador B. Gautier, San Lorenzo de Los Mina, and Darío Contreras hospitals.

On the occasion of World Donor Day, which is celebrated on Wednesday, the National Blood Center plans to organize various large-scale blood collection events in Santo Domingo, Santiago, and La Vega. Among these events, there will be a collaboration with the Banco de Reservas Health Insurance (ARS) and the signing of an agreement with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to further increase blood reserves.

Dr. Sing also announced the opening of the first Node or blood bank at the Vinicio Calventi Hospital this week. This Node operates within a network model, where donor clubs are established to collect blood. The collected blood is then processed at the Hemocentro and returned to the respective hospital.