In the context of a sustained increase in traffic accidents nationwide, the Ministry of Public Health and the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) of the Dominican Republic have implemented a new measure to address this issue. Both institutions launched a national study that will evaluate the presence of psychoactive substances in drivers involved in traffic accidents who receive care at trauma hospitals across the country.
This initiative aims to provide relevant information to understand the factors influencing road accidents, and based on this evidence, design more effective public policies for accident prevention and the protection of public health.
As part of this strategy, the DNCD donated 300 specialized tests for the detection of psychoactive substances, supplies that will be used during the development of the study. The goal is to generate scientific evidence that allows identifying the actual impact of drug use on traffic incidents and thus strengthen decision-making in road safety and public health.
The formal handover of the tests took place in the presence of the Minister of Health, Víctor Atallah, and the president of the DNCD, Vice Admiral José Manuel Cabrera Ulloa.
Both officials reaffirmed their entities’ commitment to work in a coordinated manner and to support…
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The Ministry of Public Health and the DNCD of the Dominican Republic have initiated a national study on psychoactive substances in drivers involved in traffic accidents. (Courtesy: Freepik) In the context of a sustained increase in traffic accidents nationwide, the Ministry of Public Health and the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) of the Dominican Republic have implemented a new measure to address this issue. Both institutions launched a national study that will evaluate the presence of psychoactive substances in drivers involved in traffic accidents who receive care at trauma hospitals across the country. This initiative aims to provide relevant information to understand the factors influencing road accidents, and based on this evidence, design more effective public policies for accident prevention and public health protection. As part of this strategy, the DNCD donated 300 specialized tests for detecting psychoactive substances, supplies that will be used during the study. The goal is to generate scientific evidence that allows identifying the actual impact of drug use on road incidents and thus strengthen decision-making in road safety and public health. The formal handover of the tests took place in the presence of the Minister of Health, Víctor Atallah, and the president of the DNCD, Vice Admiral José Manuel Cabrera Ulloa. Both officials reaffirmed their entities’ commitment to work in a coordinated manner and to support all initiatives that strengthen scientific research and the development of prevention strategies based on verifiable data. The DNCD donated 300 tests to detect psychoactive substances in drivers attended after traffic accidents. (Illustrative Image Infobae) During the activity, Minister Atallah emphasized that the research is a key tool to identify the causes of traffic accidents and to guide the development of public policies tailored to the national reality. He pointed out that the aim is for all public health decisions to be backed by science. Additionally, he explained that the results of this study will help strengthen the response of the national trauma network and define interventions aimed at reducing the number of accidents, injuries, and deaths related to road accidents. Atallah thanked the support of the DNCD, which provided the resources for the execution of the research, and highlighted that the findings will be fundamental for future prevention actions. Among the participants, the Deputy Minister of Strengthening and Development of the Health Sector, Yudelka Batista, emphasized the importance of coordinating the capacities of public institutions around common objectives, and stressed that inter-institutional cooperation must translate into concrete results that benefit citizens. For its part, Vice Admiral Cabrera Ulloa stated that, in addition to prevention and enforcement against illicit drug trafficking, the institution promotes actions aimed at strengthening research, public health, and policy formulation based on scientific evidence. He expressed interest in the study’s results, convinced that the information obtained will help strengthen prevention strategies, guide decision-making, and promote more effective public policies for the benefit of road safety and the health of the Dominican population. The study’s results aim to strengthen the response of the national trauma network to accidents, injuries, and road deaths. Photo VMT The operational phase of the study is already underway in five trauma hospitals across the country, with the support of Provincial Health Directorates (DPS), which participate in collecting samples from drivers involved in accidents. It is expected that the results will help reinforce national prevention strategies and support decisions aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality associated with road accidents. Also participating in the presentation were the Deputy Minister of Risk Management and Environmental Health, Gina Estrella; the Deputy Minister of Collective Health, Eladio Pérez; the Director of Health Research, Nelson Martínez; representatives of hospitals, and officials from both institutions.