Santo Domingo.- Sargassum levels in the Atlantic have reached a record-breaking 31 million tons, surpassing the previous high of 24 million, raising serious concerns among Caribbean scientists and coastal communities. Oceanographer Elena Martínez Martínez, co-founder of SOS Biotech, explained that this seaweed is now concentrated in a massive region called the Sargassum Belt, which stretches about 9,000 kilometers—nearly seven times the size of Spain. This area has expanded rapidly over the past five years.

Martínez noted that ocean currents are pushing the sargassum toward the Caribbean, intensifying its impact on the region. The phenomenon’s growth is linked to multiple factors, including rising ocean temperatures, increased atmospheric CO₂, and nutrient runoff from agricultural fertilizers. She also pointed out that Saharan dust, rich in micronutrients like iron, contributes to the problem.

Despite growing concerns, predicting the spread of sargassum remains difficult. Martínez admitted that current forecasting tools are inadequate and that sargassum has reached areas previously thought to be unaffected. For now, the main method of monitoring involves coastal sightings and emergency collection efforts to prevent it from damaging beaches.

Dominican women usually live in diverse conditions that affect their health. The most frequent are type II diabetes, breast cancer, cervix, mental health disorders, and arterial hypertension.

Addressing these problems requires comprehensive actions aimed at promoting healthy habits, which is the central theme of Bulletin number 20, published by the Ministry of Health.

Women’s health encompasses that of the entire family environment, which is why it is prioritized.

Health is a fundamental human right, and today, it is recognized that not only biology is related to health, but also social determinants, the socio-economic, environmental, and political decisions, according to the official document.

Health policies
It is considered essential in life.
Women to have integral health require regular access to medical controls, sexual and reproductive health education, and comprehensive, timely, and humanized services.

Strategies

The official document confirms that the Maternal Child Program has developed strategies aimed at enhancing the health of women.

Official actions
It works to update care protocols during pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium, strengthen emergency obstetric care and training for obstetricians and residents, and promote obstetric post-event contraception.

In addition, active monitoring of maternal mortality is conducted through the activation of provincial committees and surveillance of avoidable cases. The Ministry of Health insists that work in education in nutrition and sexual health for pregnant women, alcohol syndrome prevention campaigns Fetal (SAF), and alarm signs during pregnancy.

Accompaniment in the stage of gestation, mainly in the communities of limited economic resources.

Gaps persist
Gaps and challenges persist. In 2023, a consensus was established to prioritize the health of women with actions that involve education, economic development, social protection, and the development of a normative framework. For this, the effort of all sectors of society is required, including women themselves as active protagonists of the change, the Ministry of Health assures in their argument.

The institutional response to women’s health challenges extends to the entire national health system, insists public health

While official health data from the Ministry of Health points to a downward trend in major health indicators, dengue cases remain under watch. Epidemiologically, high incidence rates are not expected at this time, yet during epidemiological week 19, two dengue cases were confirmed in five-year-olds—one in Puerto Plata, the other in San Cristóbal. The past four weeks have seen 13 recorded cases, marking a 73.5% decrease compared to the same period in 2024. So far in 2025, 94 cases have been confirmed, with the highest concentration in Espaillat, Puerto Plata, and Valverde.

Malaria Continues to Affect Young Men

From weeks 1 to 19 of 2025, 194 cases of malaria have been confirmed, with 57% affecting men, primarily aged 10 to 39 years. The highest concentration is in San Juan and Azua, though imported cases have been reported in Elías Piña, Santo Domingo, La Altagracia, Monte Cristi, Dajabón, and Sánchez Ramírez.

Leptospirosis Cases Confirmed Across 12 Provinces

As of epidemiological week 19, 22 cases of leptospirosis have been confirmed, with the highest numbers in La Altagracia and San Cristóbal. The disease has spread across 12 provinces.

Neonatal Mortality Remains a Challenge

Infant mortality figures reveal 23 deaths during epidemiological week 19, bringing the total for 2025 to 635 deaths—172 fewer than in the same period in 2024. The vast majority occur within the first 28 days of life, with neonatal mortality proving the hardest to reduce.

Maternal Mortality Disproportionately Impacts Santiago and Santo Domingo

During the same week, four maternal deaths were recorded from La Vega, Monte Plata, María Trinidad Sánchez, and Santo Domingo. The total count for 2025 stands at 66 maternal deaths, with 34% concentrated in Santiago and Santo Domingo. Of these, 53% were Dominican women, while 47% were Haitian.

Region of the Americas Sees Maternal Mortality Decline, Yet Targets Unmet

In 2023, maternal mortality in the Americas reached 7,850 deaths, reflecting a 15.7% decrease compared to 2000. Improved access to essential healthcare services has been credited for this decline, though official figures continue to spark debate. However, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in the region remains at 59 deaths per 100,000 live births, still far above the regional target of 30 deaths per 100,000 live births set by the Pan American Health Organization’s Sustainable Health Agenda.

The downpours can also cause other problems that must be prevented.

The agency also reported a total of 88 confirmed cases of dengue fever. The cumulative incidence is 2.37.

The Ministry of Health confirmed the information in its weekly bulletin for week 18.

No new cases of malaria were reported this epidemiological week, but there have been 192 confirmed cases and 9,895 suspected cases this year.

The cumulative incidence per 100,000 inhabitants is 5.16. Similarly, no cases of leptospirosis were registered this week, and there have been 22 confirmed cases this year, with an incidence of 0.60.

Maternal deaths

During this epidemiological week 18, four maternal deaths have been confirmed, corresponding to three women of Dominican nationality and one Haitian woman.

The cumulative total up to week 18 is 58 deaths, representing a 12.1% decrease in fatalities compared to 2024.

About infant deaths, 38 deaths were reported this week.

44 deaths have been reported so far this year, reflecting a decrease in this indicator. The cumulative total for this year is 605 deaths, while last year’s cumulative total to date was 754 deaths, as can be seen in the data from the Ministry of Health.

To strengthen dengue prevention and control, the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) has acquired new fumigation backpacks, which have been delivered to the 40 Provincial Health Directorates and Health Areas (DPS/DAS) throughout the country.

Impact of the measure

Health Minister Víctor Atallah stressed that this initiative seeks to further reduce the incidence of dengue compared to 2024 when a decrease of more than 350% was achieved thanks to preventive strategies.

Atallah recalled that this success was due to the “Eliminate, Clean, and Cover” campaign, which included garbage collection, cleaning, fumigation, education, and awareness about the importance of eliminating breeding sites for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits dengue.

International recognition

The minister highlighted that international organizations have recognized the Dominican Republic’s success in fighting dengue and have shown interest in replicating these strategies in other countries.

“By combating dengue in 2024, we achieved what other countries and international organizations thought was not possible,” Atallah said.

Commitment to prevention

The deputy minister of the Provincial Health Directorates, Luis Nelson Rosario, assured that they will continue working to ensure that dengue control results are even better in 2025.

Rosario thanked Minister Atallah for the delivery of the fumigation motorcycles, a key tool for preventing mosquito reproduction, along with other measures such as the use of abate and chlorine.

“If we work together with local councils and social groups, we will be able to maintain low levels of dengue and other diseases,” he added.

Presence of authorities

The handover ceremony was attended by the deputy ministers of Public Health, Eladio Pérez, Risk Management and Environment, Gina Estrella, the provincial health directors, and other Ministry officials.

In its bulletin corresponding to Epidemiological Week Number 13, the Directorate of Epidemiology (DIEPI) shows that most diseases under special surveillance maintain a downward trend.

Among these health events are leptospirosis, cholera, COVID-19, human rabies, and other vaccine-preventable diseases, such as meningococcal disease, diphtheria, and polio.

Likewise, this week, the number of dengue cases continued to be low, with six cases reported. Children between one and four years of age were the most affected. Up to the 13th epidemiological week, there were 58 cases of the disease.

Nine confirmed cases of malaria remain in the already identified hotspots (San Juan, Azua, and Santo Domingo). This year, there have been 135 cases, and the accumulated incidence stands at 5.02 per 100,000 inhabitants.

No cases of leptospirosis have been recorded for this week. The accumulated number of confirmed cases is 20 this year, and the incidence of suspected cases is 0.75 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The DIEPI bulletin highlights the circulation of several respiratory viruses, such as influenza A (H1N1) pdm09, Influenza A (h3n2), Adenovirus, and SARS COV-2, for which the Ministry of Public Health has reinforced monitoring and case-control strategies through sentinel surveillance and virological analysis.

It urges people to take preventive measures, such as frequent hand washing, mask use in people with flu-like symptoms, and going to the nearest health center in case of fever or general malaise.

Maternal and infant deaths

In epidemiological week 13, two maternal deaths were reported, corresponding to women of Haitian nationality. The accumulated number of cases is 42 deaths up to this epidemiological week; last year, there were 49 accumulated deaths on the same date.

Twenty-eight infant deaths were reported this week, compared to 36 deaths reported the previous year, reflecting a reduction in the indicator. The accumulated total is 448 deaths this year, and in 2024, 557 deaths were reported at the same date.

In epidemiological week 12 of 2025, 245 suspected malaria cases were reported, totaling 5,521. However, the number of confirmed cases is 87, according to the General Directorate of Epidemiology, an agency of the Ministry of Health.

33.3% of confirmed cases affected the age range of 20 to 29 years.

The cumulative incidence of cases is 3.51 per 100,000 inhabitants, with the province of San Juan having the highest incidence.

Of the reported cases, 22.46% correspond to people of nationality, which has intensified the active search for cases, especially in migrant communities and agricultural settlements, considered high risk for the transmission of the disease transmitted by the bite of the Anopheles mosquito.

Among the actions implemented, epidemiological surveillance has been reinforced, primarily through actively detecting febrile cases with a specific focus on high-mobility areas.

Dengue

Regarding dengue, in the Dominican Republic, in epidemiological week 12, 29 suspected cases of dengue were reported without confirmed cases. The cumulative number to that week is 473 suspected cases and 37 confirmed cases. 33.3% of confirmed cases affected people between the ages of 10 and 19, with 57% of cases affecting males. The disease is transmitted through the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Leptospirosis

In epidemiological week 12, three suspected cases of leptospirosis were reported, with no new confirmed cases.

The cumulative number reached 118 suspected cases and 19 confirmed cases. 95% of the confirmed cases affected males between the ages of 20 and 29, with 42.1%. No deaths are recorded in this indicator.

The cumulative incidence of suspected cases is 4.76 per 100,000 inhabitants; San José de Ocoa is the province with the highest incidence, with 52.11 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

52.6%(10) of the confirmed cases are of Haitian nationality, and 47% (9) are Dominican. The Ministry of Health continues to strengthen strategies for controlling the disease, such as rodent control and sanitation measures.

Hepatitis B

The report indicates that 29% affected the age group of 60 or older, followed by 22.1% in 40 to 49 years, affecting both sexes with 50% of cases.

Santo Domingo.- The Senate of the Republic has approved on first reading a bill aimed at promoting health tourism across the country. Proposed by Senator Daniel Rivera, the initiative seeks to establish and develop medical centers that cater to foreign visitors in need of specialized healthcare. Article 11 of the bill designates health and wellness tourism as a national priority to position the country as a leading destination for medical services.

A resolution was also passed urging President Luis Abinader to implement a “Special Plan for Titling State Land in the Border Zone,” proposed by Senator Franklin Martín Romero Morillo, to prevent unauthorized foreign occupation of Dominican properties. Furthermore, Senator María Mercedes Ortiz Diloné’s initiative to recognize Dr. Richard Oliver Bidó Medina for his contributions to health sciences was approved.

An example of these cases is the people who, for different reasons, have to dedicate their lives to the care of others, eliminating the possibility of accessing academic training or acquiring a job.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) conducted a study that identified 90% of the people who care for others in the Dominican Republic as women, who do so without receiving any type of economic remuneration.

According to the report “Car” givers of the elderly, overburdened and underpaid” used in June 2024 by the IDB, if the Dominican State develops better public policies to improve caregivers’ conditions, this could increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by approximately 20%.

The World Bank identified this figure in 2020 in the report “Wom”n, Business and the Law,” which placed proportional labor inequality as the main challenge to achieving a higher GDP in the Latin American and Caribbean region.

The accumulated data comprising the 27,000 consultations carried out in more than 25 Latin American countries, including the Dominican Republic, show that 58% of the unpaid caregivers are “self-initiated.”

30.3% had no other option because they said they were the “only person who could,” and 2.8% accepted the request of “others.”

Employment and professional development
Conversely, 48% of unpaid caregivers report that they had to stop working because of their caregiving responsibilities.

Other consequences also include a reduction in work hours (reported by 20% of respondents), accepting a less satisfying job that is more compatible with caregiving responsibilities (17%), and fewer opportunities to advance and receive promotions (12%).

Eighty-two percent of family caregivers and 38% of unpaid home caregivers in Latin countries have no formal training. Unpaid caregiving has other negative effects, including a shortage of time and strain on family and social relationships.

Forty-eight % report that they are unable to receive the medical care they need because of their caregiving responsibilities. In addition, one in three unpaid caregivers report problems in their relationships with friends, family, or partners due to their caregiving responsibilities.

International program
The objective of the study conducted by the IDB is to build a program that will allow it to make funds available to try to mitigate this weakness in the financial improvement of member countries, including the Dominican Republic.

Through the “IDB Cares” initiative, Latin states can expand care services and infrastructure to improve the lives of children, the elderly, and people with disabilities and create more jobs.

” Strategic investments in care services and infrastructure are fundamental for sustainable economic growth, productivity, and the generation of opportunities for all in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said IDB President Ilan Goldfajn, who launched the initiative at the IDB Meetings held in Chile. The Minister of Finance, José Vicente, also participates in these working tables, and he handed over the presidency of the Assembly coordinating the annual work of the countries that comprise the financial body.

Although the international banking entity has not defined the money available for this project, the directors informed that the Dominican Republic could access it through loans and technical cooperation actions, which would not represent a subscription to a debt.

Santo Domingo.- The National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (Pro Consumidor) and the Specialized Body for the Control of Fuels and Merchandise Trade (CECCOM) will launch a special operation during Easter 2025 to prevent the sale of alcoholic products under irregular conditions, aiming to reduce health risks to consumers.

Pro Consumidor Director Eddy Alcántara and CECCOM Director General Brigadier General César Miranda Mañón announced the nationwide initiative, which will be supported by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM) and the Ministry of Defense (MIDE). The operation will involve visits to businesses across the country to raise awareness and prevent the sale of adulterated alcoholic beverages during the Holy Week holiday.

The heads of both agencies emphasized the success of previous operations in reducing poisoning incidents from counterfeit alcohol and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting public health, supporting legal commerce, and combating tax evasion.