For more than 25 years, Rayjon has stood in solidarity with marginalized batey (sugar cane plantation) communities in the Dominican Republic, facilitating access to health care services for vulnerable families in partnership with Dominican doctors, nurses, and community health agents to prioritize needs and provide the best possible care. 

Residents of bateys face discrimination and extreme barriers to accessing basic health care.

Mobile Medical services are urgently needed to ensure that isolated batey communities have access to medicines and regular care.

The majority of families living on bateyes are of Haitian descent, having come to the DR to work on the sugar cane plantations. Unfortunately, the hard reality of the living conditions, and discriminatory immigration policies are not what they had hoped to find. Without legal documentation, these families have few legal rights and live in tiny strip-row housing consisting of one or two rooms, and often without hydro or potable water, let alone access to health care. 

The situation for pregnant women is especially precarious. As the DR government continues its practice of deporting pregnant women, many of them have become afraid to attend prenatal medical appointments-putting both mom and baby in jeopardy. As a result, our partners are having to accompany these women to prenatal appointments, to ensure all goes well. 

Caring in action:

Our partners on the ground are doing all they can to expand access to much needed medicines and medical services. The Mobile Medical services include:

- Primary medical care for about 700 individuals (weekly medical consultations, follow-up)

- Treatment for most common health concerns (inc. hypertension, diabetes, skin conditions and infections caused by poor sanitation/unhygienic conditions)

- Malnutrition services for 120 of the most at-risk children 

- Prenatal, maternal, and post-partum care

Will you help support quality health care and equality in the Dominican Republic?