20 May, 2008
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 20, 2008. – The Batey Relief Alliance (BRA Dominicana) announced today that it will soon begin an expansion of its Dominican Republic Children’s Health Campaign by distributing prenatal vitamins to pregnant women living inside the bateyes and border communities of Pedernales and Anse-a-Pitre.
BRA and the country’s Ministry of Health, along with the program’s main supporter—Vitamin Angels, began the Dominican Campaign in February 2007 to reach 55,000 children in 236 bateyes, urban barrios, rural communities and border towns. The program, originally designed to reach children 2-10 years old, began with a daily multiple vitamin supplement and twice-a-year antiparasitic medicines. BRA’s CEO, Ulrick Gaillard noted, “The program has been a tremendous success. With the help of the Ministry of Health and the Vitamin Angels, we have been able to address and reduce chronic malnutrition in the children most at risk.” He went on to say, “We have asked Vitamin Angels to expand this program and are pleased to announce that we have received their assurance that the program will be significantly expanded in 2008.”
Vitamin Angels arrived in Santo Domingo on Saturday, May 17th to evaluate the results of the current program. Along with program sponsor, United Natural Foods Incorporated (UNFI) and supporters, Dr. Alan and Cheryl Green, the team has been meeting with BRA officials and visiting distribution sites in the bateyes in the province of Monte Plata. Vitamin Angels’ President, Howard B. Schiffer, noted, “We are pleased with the progress of the Dominican Campaign. The Ministry of Health has been tremendously supportive, and BRA has done an excellent job of enlisting a host of NGOs to help in this effort to reach the poorest of the poor.”
Gaillard and Schiffer agreed to expand the program into border communities between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. “The need is tremendous there,” noted Gaillard. He added, “We now have the support of Vitamin Angels to expand our efforts to reach the most vulnerable 1-5 year old children. Our intention is to add a minimum of 20,000 children with a Vitamin A and deworming campaign while also initiating our first campaign for pregnant women.” Schiffer added, “Vitamin Angels is always focused on reaching the children most in need and these communities definitely qualify. By starting to reach pregnant women with prenatal vitamins, we will be able to insure that these babies begin life on a healthy footing.”
Vitamin A programs have been shown to increase a child’s chances of survival by 23% while lowering clinic visits by 27% and hospital visits by 38%. Last year, Vitamin Angels reached over 7 million children, women and babies in need in over 40 countries around the world. For more information about Vitamin Angels and their initiatives including Operation 20/20, go to; http://www.VitaminAngels.org.
