Public Health and DNCD initiate study on substance use in traffic accidents
Faced with the worrying increase in road accidents in the Dominican Republic, the Ministry of Public Health and the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) have joined forces to carry out an unprecedented national study. The main objective of this research is to determine the incidence of psychoactive substances in drivers who have been admitted to trauma hospitals after suffering traffic accidents.
The initiative seeks to collect solid scientific evidence that allows for an understanding of the risk factors associated with drug use while driving, thus providing a technical basis for designing more effective public policies aimed at prevention and the protection of citizens’ lives.
Strategic collaboration and detection tools
For the implementation of this project, the DNCD made a fundamental contribution by delivering 300 specialized tests for substance detection. These supplies are key to the development of the study, which is already in its operational phase in five of the country’s main trauma centers, with the logistical support of the Provincial Health Directorates.
The purpose is for all public health decisions to be backed by science. The results of this study will allow for strengthening the response of the national trauma network and defining interventions aimed at reducing the number of accidents, injuries, and deaths associated with road traffic crashes.
Víctor Atallah, Minister of Public Health
Institutional commitment to road safety
During the official handover ceremony, the president of the DNCD, Vice Admiral José Manuel Cabrera Ulloa, highlighted that the institution focuses not only on the fight against drug trafficking but also on supporting research that positively impacts public health and Dominican road safety. For his part, Minister Víctor Atallah expressed his gratitude for the technical and operational support, stressing that inter-institutional cooperation is vital to achieve concrete results that benefit the population.
The research is also monitored by key vice-ministries of Public Health, such as Risk Management and Collective Health, who project that the data obtained will be decisive for updating national road safety strategies and reducing mortality on the country’s roads.
