Six days after the Dominican Republic’s Emergency Medical Team (EMT-RD) arrived in earthquake-stricken Venezuela to deliver aid to impacted local communities, the unit has already conducted more than 1,200 medical consultations, turning its purpose-built field hospital into one of the busiest and most in-demand medical facilities operating across the entire disaster zone.
This life-saving deployment forms a core part of the Dominican government’s Quisqueya Solidaria Humanitarian Mission, and marks a historic milestone for the Caribbean nation: it is the first time any Dominican emergency medical team that holds Type 1 certification from the World Health Organization has been deployed to support international humanitarian operations.
A breakdown of the team’s work in the first week of the mission reveals the wide range of critical care services they have delivered to vulnerable communities. The unit has completed 710 general and emergency medical consultations, provided 232 gynecological care services, carried out 144 pediatric check-ups and treatments, and delivered 114 targeted mental health support interventions for residents traumatized by the disaster. Beyond direct patient care, the team has also distributed much-needed prescription medications, administered routine and emergency vaccines, run on-site diagnostic testing, set up systems to produce safe drinking water for local populations, and implemented sanitation protocols alongside community-wide health promotion outreach.
Demand for the team’s services continues to climb, as reflected by treatment numbers from Saturday alone: the field hospital cared for 181 individual patients in just a single 24-hour period. All staff working on the deployment are specialized public health professionals from the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Public Health, including attending physicians, registered nurses, clinical psychologists, licensed pharmacists, water and sanitation experts, and dedicated logistics coordinators.
Dominican government officials note that this successful international mission underscores the significant progress the country has made in building its capacity to deliver internationally certified humanitarian and emergency medical assistance to communities in need outside its own borders. The milestone highlights the Dominican Republic’s growing role as a contributor to global disaster response efforts.