DR News
Using parameters of the World Health Organization, the Dominican Republic has more physicians that it needs. The WHO established in 2013 that there should be 25 physicians per 10,000, or 25,000 for the population of 10 million in the country. In his talk “Post Graduate Education at Cedimat” as part of the 16th Juan Manuel Taveras Rodríguez Scientific Conference at the Center for Diagnostics, Advanced Medicine and Telemedicine (Cedimat), Marte said that already in 2013 there were around 15,400 working physicians in the Dominican Republic. But around 40,000 students are studying medicine, and the country’s 10 medicine schools are turning out 4,000 doctors a year.
Marte called for controls on the quality and quantity of physicians the medical schools are graduating because the country could be on the verge of a situation of having more physicians than it needs. He says the physicians will graduate only to find themselves not being able to find jobs.
Marte called for the government, which is the principal entity responsible for the health, education, quality of life of the Dominican people, and the leading funder of the system, to play a more proactive role in the process. He also called for a more active role by the university, medical societies and the Dominican Medical Guild (CMD).
Cedimat is the most coveted place for work by graduate students. It offers medical residences, post-graduate degrees, and has agreements with universities and medical education programs in the United States and Europe. Marte said that more than 100 specialists have graduated in its 12 post-graduate studies programs, and their graduates are working all around the country and at Cedimat.
The conference this year was dedicated to the memory of late cardiologist Douglas Bournigal. Special guests this year were Anthony Kalloo, Francisco Alvarez Aquino and Bryan Mandell. The speakers included doctors César Herrera, Pedro Roa, Fernando Vidal, Andrés Ureña, Anyeri De Peña, Jorge Marte, Sócrates Bautista, Fernando Contreras, Ángel Gómez, Liliana Jiménez, José Miguel Stefan, José Rafael Yunén and Yovanna Rosich.
Source: DR1
Oct 30, 2018
The director of the Cardiovascular Center at the Center for Diagnostic Advanced Medicine and Tele-medicine (Cedimat), Dr. Cesar Herrera says that the government needs to seriously look into developing a policy of preventive medicine for heart patients that includes education, improved access to healthcare and the creation of reliable data system to keep tract of the cases.
He commented that this is one of the countries in Latin America where the population consumes a daily diet with the largest amounts of salt and fats. He feels that the people should be educated to improve their eating habits. This action would help people control hypertension and reduce incidence of diabetes.
Dr. Herrera spoke of the impact of strokes on patients, leaving persons with permanent disabilities, psychological and social problems during the 16th Juan Manuel Taveras Rodríguez Scientific Conference at the Center for Diagnostics, Advanced Medicine and Telemedicine (Cedimat) held last week at the medical center.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
Oct 30, 2018
PUERTO PLATA.- The main streets of the El Batey sector of the municipality of Sosúa in the early hours of Sunday, Oct 21st were invaded by a team of volunteers armed with brushes, pencils and a table of colors, all willing to change the visual of the power line poles.
Around noon, the streets Pedro Clisante, Alejo Martínez, Doctor Rosen, the street leads to the town hall, among other ways, began to show off a varied range of colors and artistic expressions never seen in this city.
The day of beautification of the city, was headed by the mayor Ilana Neumann and the participation of House of Art of Sosúa, Luis Hess School, students of FEDUJAZZ and students of the architecture career of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) .
Likewise, the plastic artists and professors Leo Díaz and Gregory Suero, as well as a representation of GY Fitness Sosúa headed by Yonattan De La Cruz, while the organization of the event was in charge of the Office of Urban Planning of the City of Sosúa.
The coordination and logistics of the artistic works was under the direction of the architects Nolberto Mota, Anaeliza Montás, Verónica Castro, Bennalice Katz and the artist Adolfo Faringthon.
It is noted that the sponsors of the aforementioned initiative are: Sosúa Town Hall, Cable DeLancer, ADSS, Marina House, Tropical Cafe, Yanet’s Kitchen, Bologna Restaurant, Margot Restaurant, Lilo Bank, Luis Serret Architect and Spazio / Architects Workshop.
Source: DR1, Puerto Plata Digital
Oct 27, 2018
Customs authorities seized US$244,404 that had been hidden in an ambulance-type vehicle that arrived from Puerto Rico. The National Drug Control Agency said the vehicle arrived on board Ferries del Caribe from San Juan, Puerto Rico. As reported, the finding was the result of an intelligence operation. A husband and wife couple, ages 51 and 46 years, was arrested. They were said to be the owners of the vehicle in which the money was being smuggled. Bringing in large amounts of cash is not prohibited, but needs to be declared.
Source: DR1, dncd
Oct 27, 2018
On occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Dominican Free Zone Association (Adozona), Federico Domínguez Aristy, president of Adozona, and Manuel Enrique Tavares, first president of the organization, pinpointed several of the high points of the industry.
* Exports from January to September 2018: US$6.2 billion
* More than 170,000 direct jobs
* 665 manufacturers operating in 71 industrial parks in 25 of the 32 provinces
* Diversifying from an industry that began with 80% of apparel production to one now where tobacco manufactures, medical devices, footwear, call centers and others have important participation.
The diversified industry means the DR is now:
* Global leader in cigar exports
* Global leader in medical devices to the US market
* Second largest global exporter in cotton apparel
* Second exporter of electric switches to the United States
* Second exporter of dental floss to the United States
* Fourth exporter of medical devices and surgery devices to the United States
* Sixth exporter of leather products to the United States
* Eighth exporter of footwear to the United States
In 2017, the total of exports of Dominican goods reached US$10.12 billion, of which free zone industries contributed US$5.69 billion, or 56% of all goods exports.
Source: DR1, Presidencia
Oct 27, 2018
The president of the Dominican Society of Cardiology, Dr. Claudia Almonte says that in the past 20 years home-cooked meals have been replaced by ultra processed food and Dominicans are now consuming too much saturated fats, sugars and cholesterol-generating foods. She said over the past two decades there has been a pronounced increase in heart diseases, according to the society’s research. She said in general Dominicans have poor eating habits. In her opinion, clearer labeling of foods sold here will help make Dominicans more aware of what they are eating. She called for Dominican authorities to follow steps taken in Chile.
Source: DR1
Oct 27, 2018
Grupo Nubes de Gloria has opened the first private cemetery in the outskirts of Puerto Plata, following a market trend that has been successful in the capital city of Santo Domingo. The company says it has invested RD$300 million to open the first phase of the private cemeteries that will operate in Muñoz, near Montellano, Puerto Plata.
Hernán González, spokesman for the company, said the company would begin offering services in November 2018, marking a before and an after for funeral services in Puerto Plata and Monseñor Nouel provinces. He said the cemeteries will be ecological garden parks. He said investment plans will be offered to families for advance purchase. The Puerto Plata cemetery will be known as Parque Jardín Nubes de Gloria.
The company also envisions opening a private cemetery in Bonao, Monseñor Nouel province.
Source: DR1, Hoy
Oct 27, 2018
The new Transit Law 63-17 prohibits children under 8 years old from travelling on a motorcycle, among other measures to enhance safety. But this is one of the many provisions in the law that has caused discussions among the more than 750,000 motorcycle taxi drivers who transport children all the time. Nationwide, the motorcycles are used to take children to school every day. According to the Tax Agency (DGII) there are 2,238,671 motorcycles registered in the country.
The director of the National Institute of Traffic and Ground Transport (Intrant), Claudia Franchesca de los Santos, says that they are implementing a plan to ensure that the law is complied with, not only regarding the transporting of minors, but also other aspects of the law such as the compulsory use of a helmet and that only one passenger per motorcyclist be transported. The use of a helmet is met in Greater Santo Domingo, but not so outside of the capital city.
De los Santos says that the majority of accidents involving motorcycles did not happen in local neighborhoods, but on major roads and that was where they would begin to enforce the law.
However, an official from the National Center for Motorcycle Taxi Workets, Iván Lozada said that they were in agreement with the new law but felt it should be applied equally across all the sectors involved. He highlighted that often motorcycles travel in places where four wheeled vehicles could not so they were the only option for reaching some schools. He went on to say and that there had to be a realistic solution as to how to get children under 8 years to school.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
Oct 24, 2018
The Dominican Republic shoe is coming to a Nike store near you soon. Nike has said it will release the Air Force 1 to celebrate Dominican culture. The shoe has white leather upper sneakers, complete with dark red and navy accents on the Swoosh and laces and a message of “De Lo Mio” on the sole (meaning you’re a close friend). Mismatched tongue tags feature the words “República” and “Dominicana” on the right and left shoe. The shoes are set to be on the market in November 2018, through Nike SNKRS.
Previously, Nike had released the Air Force 1 “West Indies” and “Puerto Rico” branded sneakers. But this is a first for the Dominican Republic. The Nike Air Force 1 “De Lo Mio” spirit is to promote diversity and inclusivity, say the marketers. The shoe will be available at select Nike stores and online.
https://sneakernews.com/2018/10/17/n…lic-de-lo-mio/
Source: DR1, Sneakersnews
Oct 24, 2018
Small business representatives are optimistic that come January 2019, the Tax Agency (DGII) will begin to implement a new tax regime to benefit the smaller companies, as reported in Diario Libre. The new plan calls for the elimination of the gruesome “anticipo,” or the monthly taxes that companies need to pay depending on the previous years’ income level for the month. The new plan, now known as the Regimen Simplificado Unico, would relieve micro and small business from the payment of the advance income tax.
Small Business Deputy Minister Ignacio Mendez says the measure will benefit companies categorized as micro, or those that have 1 to 15 workers, and assets up of up RD$3 million and sales up to RD$6 million, indexed for inflation every year. Or small businesses that are those with from 16 to 60 workers, assets up to RDR12 million and revenues up to RD$40 million, indexed for inflation every year.
The plan is that already existing micro and small businesses could apply for the new regime, in addition to the new companies that seek their DGII tax registration. But Isaachart Burgos, a former president of the Confederation of Small and Medium Sized Companies (Codopyme), says that the government should grant facilities for companies with arrears with the DGII to regularize their status so they too can switch plans and benefit from the new regime.
The new tax plan seeks to encourage informal businesses to regularize their status as a company. It is estimated that more than half of all businesses in the country are not regulated by the government.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
Oct 24, 2018
