Responding to the Dominican Republic assuming the presidency of the 79th World Health Assembly, Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International, said:
“As it assumes the presidency of the world’s leading global health forum, President Luis Abinader’s government in the Dominican Republic has the responsibility to demonstrate that its international leadership translates into real guarantees of access to healthcare for everyone within its territory, without racial discrimination.”
As it assumes the presidency of the world’s leading global health forum, President Luis Abinader’s government in the Dominican Republic has the responsibility to demonstrate that its international leadership translates into real guarantees of access to healthcare for everyone within its territory, without racial discrimination.”
Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International
“It is deeply contradictory for the country to preside over the World Health Assembly while putting the health of Haitian people and Dominicans of Haitian descent at risk by perpetuating practices that may deter them from seeking hospital care out of fear of being deported to Haiti. The Dominican government must immediately separate access to healthcare from migration control and ensure that no one is subjected to racial discrimination, detention or expulsion after receiving medical care.”
It is deeply contradictory for the country to preside over the World Health Assembly while putting the health of Haitian people and Dominicans of Haitian descent at risk by perpetuating practices that may deter them from seeking hospital care out of fear of being deported to Haiti.”
Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International
In November 2025, Amnesty International analysed the implementation of the migration protocol in public hospitals across the country, concluding that it lacks any public health justification and, on the contrary, reinforces racial discrimination against Haitian people while negatively affecting the entire population of the Dominican Republic.
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