DR: Free Medicines for Diabetics and Hypertensive Patients

January 9, 2024 Hour: 7:07 pm

Dominican President Luis Abinader announced on Tuesday the launch of the “More health and hope for life” program, aimed at providing free access to medicines to patients in the subsidized system diagnosed with arterial hypertension (HA) and diabetes mellitus.

RELATED:
DR: Thousands Mobilize at PRM Campaign

Abinader said that the plan is contemplated in this year’s budget and will begin to be implemented in the second week of February.

He explained that it will benefit adults over 45 years of age, children under 18 years of age who are insulin-dependent and pensioners.

The dignitary informed that the Dominican Republic joined the Hearts program, an initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO), which seeks the prevention and control of diseases such as arterial hypertension (HA) and diabetes.

El Pdte. @LuisAbinader presentó, durante el encuentro #LASemanal, los detalles del plan «Más salud y esperanza de vida», dirigido a pacientes con hipertensión arterial y diabetes mellitus. En este acto estuvo presente la Vpdta. @RaquelPenaVice. pic.twitter.com/PPh8nTu9cU

— Vicepresidencia de la República Dominicana (@ViceRDo)
January 9, 2024

The tweet reads, “During the LASemanal meeting, President Luis Abinader presented the details of the “More health and life expectancy” plan, aimed at patients with arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The event was attended by Vicepresident Raquel Peña.”

He commented that around three million people in the country suffer from (HA) and 46 percent are unaware that they have the disease, while one million people have been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, but 33.5 percent do not know it.

It was reported that the program will have a nationwide scope, and in order to access the medicines free of charge, patients must go to primary health care centers and receive a medical prescription.

The medicines will be distributed in the People’s Pharmacies, which dispense medicines from the Basic Health Chart at low prices.

The retail amount is reasonable and generates savings on treatments of between 60 percent and 96 percent compared to the lower cost in the private sector, according to the director of the Essential Medicines Program, Adolfo Perez.