Strengthening maternal and neonatal care in the Public Health Network
Doctor Julio Landrón, executive director of the National Health Service (SNS), has initiated a series of strategic visits to various maternity hospitals in the country. Accompanied by the Maternal and Child Health Directorate team, the official seeks to supervise and reinforce care protocols to ensure a safe, timely, and humane service for both mothers and newborns.
During his initial tour of the Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia Maternity Hospital, Landrón held meetings with medical specialists, residents, nursing staff, and center collaborators. In these meetings, he emphasized the importance of maintaining an unwavering commitment to the preservation of life from the moment of pregnancy until the postpartum period.
We cannot allow a mother or a child to die from a preventable cause. The Public Health Network has all the necessary equipment, instruments, and medications to be able to preserve the lives of expectant mothers and newborn children.
Dr. Julio Landrón, Executive Director of the SNS
Focus on efficiency and zero tolerance
The head of the SNS was emphatic in pointing out a “zero tolerance” policy regarding preventable maternal and infant mortality. According to the official, the Dominican public health system currently has the financial capacity, supplies, and qualified human talent —considered by Landrón to be one of the best in Latin America— to successfully attend to any obstetric or neonatal emergency.
To optimize hospital management, the director of the SNS has instructed the implementation of the following priority measures:
- Intensify hygiene and biosecurity controls in all care areas.
- Reinforce culture surveillance and ensure optimal functioning of sterilization equipment.
- Rigorous compliance with cleaning and disinfection protocols in the facilities.
- Strict promotion of frequent hand washing as a key measure to prevent healthcare-associated infections.
Landrón highlighted that improvements in the financial management of key centers such as the Los Mina Maternity Hospital and the Reynaldo Almánzar Hospital ensure that there are no operational excuses for failing in care. These supervisory visits will continue to be carried out in other health centers across the national territory, with the goal of identifying opportunities for improvement and raising quality standards in life care.
