Dominican Medical College calls for 24-hour strike in Duarte province

The Dominican Medical College (CMD), Duarte branch, has called for a 24-hour strike scheduled for Thursday, August 13, 2026, across municipal hospitals in the Duarte province. The strike is intended to protest a critical shortage of doctors, excessive workloads, a lack of specialists, and security concerns within various health centers.

According to CMD president Dr. Roberto Aquino, the work stoppage will run from 8:00 a.m. on Thursday until 8:00 a.m. on Friday. During this period, medical services will be limited strictly to emergency areas and patients already admitted to the hospitals.

Medical professionals have reported extreme conditions, including doctors in Arenoso and Villa Rivas working shifts of up to 24 hours to manage emergencies, hospitalizations, births, and surgeries simultaneously. The CMD noted that the lack of pediatricians in Las Guáranas and La Bandera has severely limited the ability to admit pediatric patients. Additionally, security issues and specialist deficits were reported in Cenoví and Castillo.