Dominican Republic shuts 500+ cosmetic clinics amid continuing fatal surgeries

The Dominican Republic Ministry of Public Health (MSP) has ordered the closure of 501 health and aesthetic service establishments between 2024 and April 2026 for breaching the General Health Law and other regulations. Despite the closures, women continue to die after undergoing procedures in unregistered or clandestine clinics.

Recent deaths include Rebecca De Paula, a Dominican‑origin NYPD officer who died early Sunday after a breast‑implant removal surgery in a clinic in the Distrito Nacional. Her mother said she was told her daughter was “seriously ill” but not that she had died; the victim suffered severe diarrhea and was said to have contracted a bacterial infection. Another fatality was 37‑year‑old Rebeca Brizard, who died after a procedure performed by a person without a health‑professional licence. In March, 32‑year‑old Angela Geraldine Hernández died following an aesthetic procedure at the Diosa clinic in Santiago, a centre that the health authority later confirmed had already been closed.

Investigations have uncovered irregularities at the implicated facilities, prompting criticism of supervisory oversight and urging patients to verify clinic licensing before undergoing any intervention.