23 January, 2005
BROOKLYN, New York, December 20, 2004. The International Foundation awarded the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) $5000 to strenghten its mobile health project in the bateyes of the Dominican Republic. “We are happy to add our support to this worthy endeavor,” said John D. Carrico, Secretary-Treasurer for the New Jersey-based foundation.
?This grant will help save many lives, by ensuring that children and families in the bateyes continue to enjoy the basic human right to access freely basic health care,? said Ulrick Gaillard, Executive Director of the BRA.
The batey population suffers inordinately from extreme poverty and the lack of access to basic health care, preventive health education and training. Fertility rates reach as high as 4.0, well above the Dominican national average of 2.8. Only 1.2% of the women reported using protective means against unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections. Although the national HIV infection rate is 1%, 5% of the batey population is infected.
The population also suffers from various diseases due to the consumption of contaminated water, mismanagement of shared latrines, lack of hygiene and health services, and their inability to resolve these problems on their own. Families and children, as a result, suffer from high infant mortality, diarrheal diseases, respiratory infections, intestinal parasites, among others. ?In these cases, it is highly beneficial for the population that has so very little access to bring the care to them inside their own communities,? said Dr. Raymond Thertulien, BRA’s Medical Director.
BRA has put in operation a 30-foot, fully-equipped and staffed mobile clinic inside the bateyes of Monte Plata for almost two years. It travels to various bateyes and serves about thirty bateyes and other needy rural communities in the area. Our health care providers see between 200 and 400 patients per month, and provide general consults, dental care, eye exams and eyeglasses, women?s healthcare and HIV/AIDS testing. We also distribute medicines and vitamins to complete patients? treatment.
This one-of-a-kind project is part of BRA?s humanitarian health intervention in the bateyes. Other BRA projects include a medical center complex in construction at Batey Cinco Casas, a Blindness Prevention program, distribution of essential medicines and medical supplies to member organizations, placement of volunteers and annual medical missions.
“Because we are an ongoing operation, open five days a week all year round, we have a tremendous need for additional funding. We treat a wide range of ailments including parasites, skin infections, eye disorders, high blood pressure, diabetes, malnutrition, chronic musculo-skeletal pain and the flu,” added Gaillard.
BRA encourages you too to support this important project by making a tax-deductible money donation payable to: Batey Relief Alliance, P.O. Box 300565, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230. You may also make an online secure donation by clicking at Donate Now!
