Spanish
Santo Domingo. – During the launch of the project “A Single Voice for Mental Health,” Dr. Heredia called for strengthening education, coverage, and mental health care in the Dominican Republic, highlighting the need to integrate psychiatry within the primary care system.
The specialist explained that, although most medical insurance covers psychiatric medications, many patients are unaware of this right or do not demand its fulfillment.
“The problem, many times, is not the insurance, but that the patient doesn't know it or doesn't push. The Health Fund Administrators (HFAs) must advocate for this, because it also suits them,” he pointed out.
In that sense, the doctor cited data reflecting the importance of early intervention for mental disorders: "A patient with anxiety can spend up to $37,000 in the United States before seeing a psychiatrist. That's why we must consider mental health as an integral part of primary care."
You can read: Minister of Public Health during the launch of “One voice for mental health” announces new National Mental Health Strategy
Heredia also spoke about the urgency of training more professionals in psychiatry, recalling that the country currently has only about 260 psychiatrists to serve a population that exceeds 10 million Dominicans. "The challenge is enormous, but it is also an opportunity to educate and build a more accessible and humane mental health system," the doctor stated during the event. The project "A single voice for mental health" seeks to promote education, prevention, and comprehensive care for mental disorders in the country, with the participation of health professionals, academic institutions, and entities from the public and private sectors.
