Summary of the Amnesty International Report on the Dominican Republic’s Hospital Migration Protocol
This report from Amnesty International details the negative impact of a new migration protocol in Dominican Republic public hospitals, which requires healthcare personnel to register patients’ immigration status and report it to authorities.Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
The Problem:
* Reduced Access to Healthcare: The protocol is creating a climate of fear and mistrust among haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent, discouraging them from seeking necessary medical care, including HIV treatment.Many previously received aid-supported HIV treatment, now jeopardized.
* Discriminatory & Racist Effect: Amnesty International argues the protocol has a discriminatory and racist effect,disproportionately impacting Haitians and Black peopel.
* Public Health Risk: Reduced healthcare access isn’t limited to migrants; it jeopardizes the health of everyone in the country,leading to increased unassisted births and preventable deaths.
* Deportation Fears: The fear of being reported and later deported is a major deterrent to seeking medical attention.
* Lack of Evidence: the protocol is not based on evidence or respect for human rights.
amnesty International’s concerns & Findings:
* Security Justification is Flawed: The government claims the protocol is a “security” measure, but Amnesty International argues it actively harms public health and human rights.
* Mass Deportations: Over 300,000 Haitians have been deported since October 2024, including vulnerable populations like pregnant women and children, despite the crisis in Haiti and UNHCR warnings.
* Part of a Larger Pattern: This protocol is part of a broader pattern of structural racial discrimination in the Dominican Republic’s migration and nationality policies.
Amnesty International’s Demands:
* Guarantee Right to Health: President Luis Abinader and Dominican authorities must guarantee the right to health for all, regardless of nationality or immigration status.
* Stop Hospital Deportations: Deportations of people seeking medical care must cease.
* Revoke the Protocol: The migration protocol requiring hospitals to report patient immigration status must be instantly revoked.
* Extensive Measures: The government should take all necessary administrative, political, and legal steps to ensure non-discriminatory healthcare access.
In essence, the report condemns the Dominican Republic’s hospital migration protocol as a harmful, discriminatory practice that prioritizes immigration enforcement over public health and human rights.
