Improving women's health in Dominican Republic

Dear HHI friends,

We hope this email receives you with great warmth. As you should know, in October 2020, we embarked on the foundation of the Movimiento Mujeres program, the first initiative in the Dominican Republic where Community Health and Chronic Care are addressed with a gender perspective and in pathologies that disproportionately affect women. The purpose of the project is to train women community leaders in intervention spaces with knowledge in primary care, prevention, promotion and education in health, chronic care, the adoption of healthy habits, and the eradication of high-risk behaviors; empowering them and turning them into Health Promoters: Trusted members in their community who serve as liaisons or intermediaries between the vulnerable population and health and social services.

In the past months, we have made a series of advances around expanding the provision of services to more vulnerable women, so we have concentrated our efforts on the implementation of community clinics focused on screening for diabetes, hypertension, breast cancer, cervical cancer, cervical pathologies, among other clinical activities.

During our 1st Women’s Health Fair, we had the opportunity to provide screening services, prevention talks and education where we sensitized participating women about the importance of routine check-ups and follow up care.

Some of the community-base clinical services we offered include:

• 50 sonographies and x-rays
• 48 mammography
• 23 women enrolled in treatment
• 3 colposcopies
• 3 referral care services for specialties
• 52 labs and urinalysis  
• 50 pap smears and cervical cancer screening
• 52 screening for T2 Diabetes, Hypertension, and other NCDs

In addition to this, participants impacted by the program served as multiplying agents by sensitizing other women in their communities to visit our community health center and receive the services as well. As part of our acceleration plan, we hope to impact the lives of 200 more women by the end of the year; including complementary services for conflict management and prevention of domestic violence, family planning, prevention and education on sexually transmitted diseases, among others.

Although women continue to face many adversities around access to quality primary care services, we continue to build bridges between communities and services. We want to thank each of our collaborators, who have remained steadfast by our side during this journey, and we hope to continue counting on their commitment in future opportunities and other assignments to our institution.

Firmly,