The recent death of seven newborn babies in the same week highlights the crisis facing the healthcare public sector in the Dominican Republic. The deaths occurred on the last week of April at the Jaime Mota Regional Hospital in Southern Barahona province.

Historically, the Dominican south has suffered from government neglect. The Alliance for the Right to Healthcare, which comprises 35 organizations, blamed the recent deaths on lack of funding and maintenance.

According to reports from the Health Ministry, the year 2018 saw a sharp increase of infant mortality.

The Government-run healthcare system in the Dominican Republic is in shambles due to several factors. As ESENDOM reported on December 2017:

The state-run health care system in the Dominican Republic has declined considerably in recent years due to rampart corruption, poor management and a drive to privatize health care.

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