Dominican Republic bolsters food security, health and agricultural safety

Bank of reserves executive Leonardo Aguilera announced that Banreservas will continue heavy financing of agriculture and agro‑industry after the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization confirmed the Dominican Republic has been removed from the global hunger map. He highlighted the expansion of economic kitchen programs, which now serve more than 183 000 meals daily.

Former Bayaguana mayor and pork producer Manuel Pantalio rejected a proposal to eradicate the national pig herd as a response to African swine fever, arguing that the sector sustains thousands of families and that biosecurity, surveillance and targeted controls are the appropriate tools.

In the health arena, CEDIMAT performed the country’s first coronary intravascular lithotripsy with balloon, a new technique for severely calcified lesions. Separately, the Ministry of Health honoured a 40‑person medical team for a humanitarian mission to Venezuela, and the director of the CIFMEC urged the public to adopt lifestyle measures to prevent pancreatic cancer.

Child‑safety advocates warned against digital exposure of minors: content creator Anro Rivas advised parents not to post children’s photos online, while journalist José Ramón Suero called for an end to the circulation of videos showing child victims of sexual violence.

Politically, the Fuerza del Pueblo party presented a National Agro‑Sanitary Emergency Plan, citing recent mango export bans, African swine fever and the spread of the giant African snail. The government also hosted a high‑level road‑safety meeting with UN envoy Jean Todt to coordinate actions aimed at cutting traffic deaths.