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Dial 911 to Call an Ambulance in Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic: Ambulance and Emergency Medical Services

AT-A-GLANCE

DIAL 911 TO CALL AN AMBULANCE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:

  • The D.R. has among the most advanced EMS systems in the Americas — as long as you’re in a major city or popular tourist location; outside major cities, things get a little trickier so please consult our EMS Coverage Map for the D.R.
  • Strong political will to improve access to and establish quality standards for emergency care
  • Recognized in 2013 by World Health Organization as having the most dangerous roads in the world

HOW CAN I CALL AN AMBULANCE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC?

Dial 911*

*911 is the official public access number for the entire country and can be reached toll-free from any phone number originating in the Dominican Republic. Two call centers have been recently built in Santo Domingo (2014) and Santiago (2017) to coordinate police, fire and emergency medical services for their respective metropolitan areas. However, once leaving Santo Domingo, Santiago, San Cristobal, La Haina and parts of Puerto Plata, emergency vehicles can be difficult to summon.

Please check the map at the top of the page or the section below for additional emergency agencies and phones numbers where available.

No. While the 9-1-1 number can be accessed through any phone with a Dominican phone number, ambulances will be dispatched in the following areas as availability permits:

  • Santo Domingo
  • San Cristobal
  • Santiago
  • Puerto Plata

Further expansion of the government 9-1-1 system has also been stated to happen in 2018 to reach the northern coast, including in Puerto Plata, Sosua, Cabarete, Luperón, and the roads in between and connecting with Santiago.

(From: Dominican Republic government transparency portal. Last accessed: Jan 15, 2017)

GROUND AMBULANCE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

LA ROMANA

  • Movimed
    • Phone Number: (809) 813-9066

PUERTO PLATA

SANTIAGO

  • Alerta Médica
    • Tel: (829) 854-9114
    •  Address:
      • Urb. El Embrujo I Av Rafael Vidal
      • Santiago de los Treinta Caballeros, Santiago, República Dominicana
    • 24 Hour Service – Patient transport for critical cases, medical appointments, with certified paramedics y specialized equipment, oxygen, cardiac monitor, automatic ventilator, oxymetry, immobilization equipment. We have more than 30 years of experience en the transport and care of critical medical patients.
  • Movimed
    • Telephone: (809) 587-3333

SANTO DOMINGO

  • Movimed
    • Tel: (809) 535-1080
    •  Address:
      • Av. Romulo Betancourt 1502
      • Esquina Carmen Mendoza
      • Bella Vista
      • Santo Domingo
  • ProMed Dominicana SRL
    • Tel: (809) 412-5555
    • Address:
      • Calle Genard Perez
      • Santo Domingo
  • SOS Ambulancia
    • Tel: (809) 530-4646
    •  Address:
      • Av. 27 De Febrero No. 527,
      • Santo Domingo Este, Santo Domingo
AIR AMBULANCE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
  • Air Ambulance Transport International Link
    • Tel: 809-567-1101
    •  Address:
      • Av Tiradentes 56
      • Santo Domingo
  • Aeroambulancia
    • Telephone:
      • +1 (809) 826.4100
      • +1 (809) 200.4100
    •  Address:
      • Jose Amado Soler Street 1051
      • Santo Domingo

PUBLIC AMBULANCES

Current, up-to-date stats on ambulance distribution and availability are very hard to keep, but in general it’s likely that you will be able to access public ambulances in:

  • South Coast:
    • Santo Domingo, La Haina, San Cristobal
  • Southeast:
    • Higuey, Punta Cana
  • North Central
    • Santiago, Imbert
  • North Coast:
    • Puerto Plata, Sosúa, Montellano, Luperón

Official Ministry of Health Map for all health centers in the country.

For Dominican citizens:

  • In the Dominican Republic, health coverage is guaranteed by law and administered through Law 8701, The Family Health Insurance, under the responsibility of the National Social Security Council “which is aimed at providing comprehensive protection for the physical and mental health of affiliates and their families, as well as achieving universal coverage without exclusions for age, sex, social, work or territorial circumstances” [Source: World Health Organization, 2010]

FOR U.S. CITIZENS

“Medical Insurance: The Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and if it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. U.S. medical insurance plans seldom cover health costs incurred outside the United States unless supplemental coverage is purchased. Further, U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. However, many travel agents and private companies offer insurance plans that will cover health care expenses incurred overseas, including emergency services such as medical evacuations.

Some of the health service providers that have accepted U.S. medical insurances in the past are:

  • Plaza de la Salud General Hospital –Assistcard, AXA Assistance, BUPA Medical Services, Claria Life, Delaware Life Insurance/Metlife, Emergency, Frontier Medex, Henner-GMC, Inter Mutuelle Assistance, MetLife, QHM, Redbridge, Worldwide Medical Assurance, Seven Corners, SunMed International, Vumi Group.
  • CEDIMAT – Amedex, Aetna Global Benefits, AXA Assistance Chicago, Accident and Health Travels, Best Doctor Inc., Careplus, Cigna International Expatria Benefits, Euro Center, Es-Ko International Inc., Global Assurance Group, Global Excel Management, Groupe Mutual Assistance, GMC Services International Adm., International SOS Assistance, Morgan White, Minustah, Medex Assistance Corp., Mondial Assistance, North American Commision of the IALE, Olympus Managed Health Care Inc., State Insurance Corporation, World Access, Travel Guard, USA Medical Services, Universal Assistance Inc., Worldwide Medical Assurance.
  • HOSPITEN –Cover both ambulatory and hospitalization services:Europ assistance USA INC4330 East West Highway Suite 100, 20814 Bethesda, Md.Phone    +1 –  2023311596Fax         +1 – 2023311528E-mail      [email protected]
    HTH Worldwide19087 Radnor Corporate Center Suite 100Phone    +1  – 61025487440Fax         +1  –  6102930318E-mail      [email protected]
    Cover hospitalization services only:
  • Aetna Global Benefits33630 Po Box 30258, Tampa, FloridaPhone    +1 – 3029997843E-mail    [email protected]
  • Allianz Global Assistance USA9950 Mayland Drive , 23233 Richmond, VirginiaPhone    +1 – 8042815700E-mail    [email protected]
                 [email protected]

When making a decision regarding health insurance, U.S. citizens should consider that many foreign doctors and hospitals require payment in cash prior to providing service and that a medical evacuation to the United States may cost well in excess of $50,000. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas often face extreme difficulties. When consulting with your insurer prior to your trip, please ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas healthcare provider or if you will be reimbursed later for expenses that you incur. Some insurance policies also include coverage for psychiatric treatment and for disposition of remains in the event of death.

Useful information on medical emergencies abroad, including overseas insurance programs, is provided in the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs brochure, Medical Information for U.S. Citizens Traveling Abroad, available via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page or autofax: (202) 647-3000.”

ADDITIONAL INFO

Common Emergencies in the Dominican Republic
  • ROAD TRAFFIC INJURIES – Recognized in 2013 by World Health Organization as having the most dangerous roads in the world
  • INFECTIOUS DISEASE
    • “Dengue is endemic in the Dominican Republic and outbreaks occur annually” (iamat.org, Last accessed: Jan 10, 2017)
    • Chikungunya in the Dominican Republic: lessons learned in the first six months [Abstract] (Rev Panam Salud Publica 36(5), 2014 español)
    • In 2016 there were 1069 cases and 18 deaths from cholera (ProMED, Last accessed Jan 10, 2017)
    • Zika virus is a threat in the D.R. – please read the CDC’s Zika Travel Notice for the D.R.
  • HURRICANES — the D.R. has a high vulnerability to hurricanes. Read: “The cyclones, hurricanes and storms in Dominican Republic” from dominican-republic-live.com to get a nearly exhaustive history of hurricanes in the Dominican Republic since 1615
Recommended Vaccinations for the Dominican Republic

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), different groups of travelers will require different vaccinations for travel in the Dominican Republic:

  • All Travelers:
    • Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine
    • Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine
    • Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine
    • Polio vaccine
    • Your yearly flu shot
  • Most Travelers:
    • Hepatitis A
    • Typhoid
  • Some Travelers:
    • Cholera
    • Hepatitis B
    • Malaria
    • Rabies

Read more about travel in the Dominican Republic at the CDC website:  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/dominican-republic/ (Last accessed: Aug. 7, 2017)

Lead Agency – Ministry of the Presidency

Government Oversight  – Sistema Nacional de Atención a Emergencias y Seguridad

Dispatch – 9-1-1 Santo Domingo: One call center where all emergency calls are directed. Use of Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and vehicles equipped with Mobile Data Terminals (MDT) for messaging and Automatic Vehicle Location.

  • Arellano N, Mello MJ, Clark MA. “The role of motorcycle taxi drivers in the pre-hospital care of road traffic injury victims in rural Dominican Republic.”Inj Prev. 2010 Aug 9;16(4):272–4
  • Báez A, MsSc M, Giraldez E. “Knowledge and Attitudes of the Out-Of-Hospital Emergency Care Consumers in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.”Prehosp Disaster Med. 2008 May 28;27(4):273–6.
  • Báez AA, Lane P. “Emergency Medical Services Workforce in the City of Santo Domingo.” Prehosp Emerg Care. 2002;6(3):336–9.
  • Eaton D, U HMS. Determining Ambulance Deployment in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. J Oper Res Soc. 1986;37(2):113–26.
  • Tappero J, Tauxe R. Lessons Learned during Public Health Response to Cholera Epidemic in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011 Nov;17(11):2087–93.

Official 911 Website

SCOREBOARD

% Population Covered by Public 9-1-1 System

49%

[Our estimate based on current expansion of official 911 system vs. total population]

ROAD TRAFFIC INJURY DEATHS
(PER 100,000 POPULATION)

[Source: 2015 Global Status Report on Road Safety, WHO]

REPORTED HOMICIDES
(PER 100,000 POPULATION)

[Source: 2014 Global Status Report on Violence Prevention, WHO-UNDP]

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