Mitur signs agreement with CMD, Asonahores and MISPAS to promote Health Tourism in the country

Francisco Javier García, Minister of Tourism (Mitur) Altagracia Guzmán Marcelino, Minister of Public Health and Social Assistance (MISPAS), Arturo Villanueva, Executive Vice President of the Association of Hotels and Tourism (ASONAHORES), and Pedro Sing Ureña, President of the Medical College Dominican (CMD), signed an inter-institutional cooperation agreement with the objective of strengthening their relations and promoting the development of health tourism in the Dominican Republic.

The agreement will help to develop a proposal in the legal framework that regulates health tourism in the Dominican Republic, so that its development is promoted, ensuring that it contributes significantly to the economy, taking into account the laws and regulations in force in the health sector and in the tourism sector.

Likewise, that the health tourism offer reach levels of excellence and achieve national and international recognition, as part of the strategy of diversifying traditional tourism offerings.

The institutions involved in this agreement will take the necessary measures to promote joint cooperation initiatives and will endeavor to ensure the harmonious development of their relations to achieve the proposed objectives.

Minister García stressed the importance of this inter-institutional cooperation agreement, since it will open a new niche in the tourism market and will allow the Dominican Republic to be promoted from another point of view, which is not hotels, beach, gastronomy, golf and its people.

He added that it will be promoted through a specific campaign of health and professional services that can be provided in the country, so the importance of Public Health and CMD being in the agreement, since this will allow the establishments to be certified and with This will receive national and foreign investments in the areas of tourism and health.

Altagracia Guzmán said that the signing of the agreement is a challenge for the country that will increase the quality of services, which is what is taken into account when selling a product.

“I congratulate the Minister of Tourism for the initiative, since this agreement is part of the quality line and will serve as a basis for moving more and more focused on the quality of health services in the Dominican Republic,” said Guzmán Marcelino.

A Council attached to MISPAS will also be created, with the participation of MITUR, ASONAHORES, the CMD and other related associations, experts in health tourism, quality and safety of medical services, to serve as the supervisory body for companies and individuals that provide services in the sector in question.

Similarly, the agreement seeks to define the criteria that must be met by health establishments and professionals and others, which will provide services in health tourism, such as; quality and safety of care, medical protocols, memberships, accreditations, alliances and certifications.

As well as, create incentives that stimulate the investment of capital, both domestic and foreign, and that encourage investments in technology and infrastructure for the sector, establishing incentives and facilities to ensure the education and training processes in the different areas required to guarantee the provision of services. of health according to international standards in hospitality, languages, health and wellness.

Pedro Sing declared that this initiative is of great importance and that the positive impacts that will be received are incalculable when joining the tourism and health sector. As well as participating in this agreement emanates from a resolution of the CMD board of directors.

He stated that the participation of the CMD in this agreement emanates from a unanimous resolution of its board of directors and that the offers that will be offered are very interesting and wide, which in the country is capable of offering.

Arturo Villanueva, pondered the extraordinary effort that the Ministry of Tourism has been making to turn the tourism sector into the main axis of the national economy and the joint work of the public-private sector in strengthening complementary offers so that the Dominican Republic remains the undisputed leader of the Caribbean region.

This agreement will promote the construction of public-private partnerships, creating synergies with health and wellness centers, health risk managers, users and professionals in the health sector, facilitating the recruitment, access, transfer, treatment, stay and recovery of tourists from Health in the Dominican Republic.

The activities that will be carried out on the occasion of this agreement will be in charge of the Health Tourism Directorate of the Ministry of Tourism, the Planning and Development Directorate of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance, together with a member designated by the Hotel Association and Tourism of the Dominican Republic and the Dominican Medical College.