Dominican Republic

Key Results

Scaling up HIV prevention, treatment and PMTCT services improved access among adolescents and young people, women and key populations.
PrEP services expanded in the country following adoption of a national policy.
Over a million people reached on digital and social media with information on Undetectable=Untransmittable.
Assessments and studies supported the national evidence-based HIV response, and community-led monitoring was strengthened through capacity building and institutionalization in HIV services.

Joint Programme Results

In 2022, the Joint Team supported the Dominican Republic in strengthening HIV prevention, treatment and support services as well as in generating strategic evidence for the response through effective partnerships. For example, during the 2022 World AIDS Day, 21 000 people received HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health information and condoms, while placement of condom dispensers in selected healthcare facilities and kiosks increased access to HIV and unintended pregnancy prevention. A total of 517 young people, including girls in vulnerable communities increased their knowledge of HIV, sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy prevention through the Girls Club, an initiative aiming for women empowerment (UNFPA). Comprehensive sexuality education programmes as well as sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV services in schools also saw increased participation of women and young people, under a human rights and gender equity approach (UNESCO).

To scale up services for people who use drugs, a government care model for the treatment of substance use disorders has been defined and intervention strategies were updated following advocacy and technical support by the Joint Team (UNODC).

Integration of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and antenatal care services for pregnant women in five new maternity wards and six adolescent units improved access to these services (UNICEF).

As part of the Undetectable=Untransmittable initiative, 4640 people living with HIV enrolled on treatment and 1 154 311 people on digital and social media improved their knowledge of maintaining undetectable viral load for prevention of new HIV infections and better health outcomes (UNAIDS Secretariat). Counselling, follow up and support services among people living with HIV was strengthened with the training of 23 peer counsellors and 10 healthcare professionals (UNDP). Community-led monitoring was integrated in six priority HIV prevention, treatment and care services, through technical support by the Joint Team, and a network comprising 24 trained community members was established to lead the monitoring process. Through this community network, healthcare needs of vulnerable and key populations, including people living with HIV, were assessed, barriers to key services were identified, and plans were developed to address gaps and improve access to and quality of services (UNAIDS Secretariat). More than 200 people living with HIV further received food and nutrition assistance to improve their adherence to treatment, while over 1300 people living with or affected by HIV improved their knowledge of healthy diet, meal preparation using vegetables produced in gardens and urban gardening skills to create income generating activities (WFP).

Strategic evidence for the national HIV response and public policies was strengthened through various studies and assessments, including: a study on the characterization of migrant and Haitian population and their descendants, including people living with HIV residing in the Dominican Republic, which identified bottlenecks and opportunities to increase access to HIV services among this population; a second gender assessment of the national HIV response to inform on persisting gender gaps and a situation analysis of SRH and HIV among women aged 18 years and older using various variables, including socioeconomic status, partner violence and autonomy, thus contributing to programming and decision-making on HIV prevention and SRH services.