Progress towards Elimination of HIV Mother-to-Child Transmission in the Dominican Republic from 1999 to 2011

Figure 1

Perinatally HIV-Exposed Infants, by 34 Reporting centers, Dominican Republic, 1999–2011 “La Romana”: nongovernmental organization (NGO) located in La Romana, in southeastern Dominican Republic, provides prenatal care to 81–101 pregnant women living with HIV annually, approximately 30% of Haitian origin, and 20% from bateyes (underserved sugarcane plantation communities); virtually all (>97%) are low-income informally employed or unemployed [6, 13]. The NGO provides comprehensive care to approximately 1,300 persons living with HIV, of whom 130 are children. La Romana is a major sugar-producing area, with 100 s of bateyes for workers. It is also a major tourist attraction. “Maternal Infant Hospital, SD”: public maternity hospital, located in Santo Domingo (SD) East, in the southern coast of the Dominican Republic [14], reports over 10,800 live births, at least 800 to women living with HIV. Most of the clients are low income, and over 20% may be of Haitian origin. The hospital provides comprehensive care to 90–101 children living with HIV. “National Children’s Hospital, SD”: Public children’s hospital located in SD, DR capital city, in the southern coast of the DR, reports >6,000 admissions per year, and evaluates 150–200 perinatally exposed infants per year. Most of the clients are low-income, and at least 20% are referred to tertiary services in the Children’s Hospital from other areas. The hospital provides comprehensive care to over 400 children living with HIV. “General Hospital, Santiago”: public general hospital located in the Northern city of Santiago de los Caballeros, reports approximately 23,000 admissions per year, of which 10,000 are obstetric, 90–120 of which are among women living with HIV. Although it is located in one of the more economically prosperous areas of the DR, it serves a diverse population and many clients are from impoverished border areas. The hospital provides comprehensive care to over 1,300 adults living with HIV, and prenatal care services to over 100 women living with HIV annually. “Pediatric Hospital, Santiago”: public children’s hospital located in the Northern city of Santiago de los Caballeros, reports over 3,000 admissions per year, and evaluates 50–60 perinatally exposed children per year. The hospital provides comprehensive care to approximately 140 children living with HIV. The other 29 centers that are represented in this population include two community based, three faith-based, and two other NGOs, and 22 public hospitals in the eastern, border, central, and southwestern provinces, including Elias Pina, El Seibo, and other low-healthcare-access areas [12, 15, 16].