Santo Domingo Pastoral de la Salud launches Mental Health Week

The Pastoral de la Salud of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo has launched the fourth edition of Mental Health Week, running until October 4. The initiative aims to reduce social stigma, improve access to care, and strengthen collective responses to mental disorders through educational activities and field sessions in Gran Santo Domingo and Monte Plata.

Medical data released by psychiatrist Dr. Axinia Karina Martínez reveals a significant rise in demand for mental health services. Between January and August 2026, the institution recorded 957 cases of mixed anxiety and depressive disorders, surpassing the 821 cases recorded during the entirety of 2025. The upward trend also includes significant demand for treatment related to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

The program focuses on four key pillars: humanizing mental health care, facilitating access to affordable medication, ensuring social security coverage for these pathologies, and strengthening mental health through family and primary care. The week will conclude with the ‘One Step for Mental Health Walk’ led by Archbishop Carlos Tomás Morel Diplán.