DR: Army and Police to Reinforce Security in Hospitals

On Tuesday, the National Health Service (SNS) of the Dominican Republic reported that the emergency rooms of 51 priority hospitals of the Public Health Network have 24-hour military security.

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The head of Hospital Security of the SNS, Colonel José Heredia, indicated that the measure seeks to guarantee the physical integrity of patients and healthcare personnel, especially to avoid attacks against doctors and nurses.

He specified that 102 members of the Army and police were designated to undertake the mission and explained that the health centers were chosen on the basis of their level of complexity, location, as well as the number and frequency of unfortunate incidents they have registered.

Heredia announced that the measure will gradually be extended to other hospitals and pointed out that the 51 units will also be reinforced with 201 new employees of the Hospital Security Network.

The tweet reads, "The National Health Service (SNS) informed that as of Monday, the emergency rooms of 51 priority hospitals of the Public Network will have military security 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

The director of the SNS, Dr. Mario Lama, and Colonel Heredia participated last week in a meeting to discuss hospital security with the Minister of Interior and Police, Jesus Vasquez Martinez, and the general commander of the Army, Major General Carlos Antonio Fernandez Onofre.

Also participating were authorities from the National Police and the Ministries of Public Health and Women's Affairs, the Medical Association and the Dominican Medical Association, all of which have joined together in a Commission to follow up on the issue.