Medical care in larger towns is excellent, with hospitals offering excellent care. For Canadians, it is actually a pleasant surprise as there are no long waits and the medical staff are as well trained as Canadian and Amer ican doctors and nurses. You will find English speaking physicians that are knowledgeable and able to service most medical needs.
For emergency medical care, or health problems that require a hospital, in the Puerto Plata area there are two very well equipped private clinics.
The first, Cabarete Medical Centare, is a brand new hosptial that opened summer of 2009. This first rate facility has specialists from all over the world, as well as a state of the art hosptial facility and diagnostic services. It is located just oustside Sosua. Ambulance service is also part of this facility.
Cabarete Medical Center
Carretera Sosua-Cabarete Km 1,
Sosua, Dominican Republic
Call us on +1 (809) 571 4696
Emergency +1 (809) 571 4038
The second, Bournigal has an excellent reputation. This facility services the major resorts of the area as well as those living in Puerto Plata, Sosua, and Cabarete. Care is on par with any hospital in Canada or the US, with doctors and specialists who have mostly trained abroad.
Puerto Plata
Centro Médico Bournigal, Antera Mota Street, Puerto Plata.
Tel. 1 809 586 2342 or 1 809 586 4140
Fax. 1 809 586 6104
Email. info@bournigal-hospital.com
Many people actually travel to the DR for medical treatment that is either expensive or may have a long waiting list in their home countries. Many Canadians comment that they would rather receive health care at Bournigal than at home as the care is better!
Most people who do not live here all year purchase travel medical insurance in their home countries. For those wishing to relocate, there are excellent health care plans in the DR that cost about $35/month US per person. These plans cover all major medical, prescriptions, and dental.
A private nationwide ambulance service, "Movi-med," operates in Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata and La Romana; its telephone number is 532-0000 in Santo Domingo and 1-200-0911 outside Santo Domingo. “Movi-med” expects full payment at the time of transport. In Cabarete and Sosúa area, the Servi-Med centre can help with emergency medical assistance and is available 24 hours a day.
Emergency Contact Details:
Sosúa / Cabarete
Servi-Med - Tel. 1 809 571 2903
The primary language of instruction in public schools in the Dominican Republic is Spanish. There are generally not enough teachers, facilities or funding to meet the demands of an unusually large Dominican school age population. Many private and religious schools supplement the state-financed schools. Children aged 7 to 14 years are required to attend, and almost every large community has elementary and secondary schools. The University of Santo Domingo is the oldest university in the Americas; it was founded in 1538.
ENGLISH SPEAKING SCHOOLS
Instruction in foreign languages is available in Dominican schools for children of all ages.
Curriculum is available in Spanish and other languages. Some schools will offer education in one language whilst others may be bilingual. While there are students enrolled from all over the world, the majority are Dominican. This means that much of the school’s informal social life will take place in Spanish, regardless of the educational facility’s policies.
Private schools in the Dominican Republic normally have the medium of instruction in English and usually take children from many nationalities. Students must meet a certain level of English fluency for entrance. The school year is usually divided into two semesters which begin in mid-late August and finish early-mid June.
Tuition fees for students vary from school to school, the maximum being $7,000US per academic year. As a general rule the older the child, the higher the fees. There may be additional charges for school lunches, uniforms and school books and materials.
Will their qualifications be valid once we leave the Dominican Republic?
Schools which are accredited by the Dominican Ministry of Education offer certificates which are valid for entrance to Dominican, European and US universities. However, those planning to undertake higher education in the US may wish to attend a school which has been accredited by the US Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Those interested in studying in Europe, should consider a school where the International Baccalaureate curriculum is used.
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