The Minister of Health, Víctor Atallah, inaugurated the Air Entry Point office at the Américas José Francisco Peña Gómez Airport (AILA), with the aim of strengthening and consolidating health security for prevention, detection and timely response to events that may constitute a public health emergency.
During the event, Atallah pointed out that this new Point of Entry is a measure that represents a State decision, because we increasingly live in a more interconnected world and local preparation is key to global protection.
He highlighted that the installation of entry points not only guarantees the health of the population, but also protects tourism and the economic development of the country, by closing gaps and offering an effective health response.
“When we install an Entry Point we are not only guaranteeing health, but also tourism, and it must be covered, protected and with the necessary support to fulfill its mission,” said Minister Atallah.
The Minister of Health especially thanked the administration of the Las Américas International Airport for their willingness, support and collaboration, since they were essential for the implementation of this progress.
For her part, the Vice Minister of Risk Management and Health, Gina Estrella, stated that the AILA Entry Point marks a transcendental step for the strengthening of the National Public Health System and for the health security of the country. “This achievement goes beyond the opening of a physical space that is carried out in compliance with the International Health Regulations (IHR), established by the World Health Organization (WHO), which are essential for the timely detection of possible health risks, including outbreaks of communicable diseases.”
Meanwhile, the representative of the Pan American Health Organization PAHO/WHO in the Dominican Republic, Alba María Ropero Álvarez, said that for PAHO it is an honor to accompany the country in this milestone, which strengthens national capacities within the framework of the International Health Regulations, the only legally binding instrument for the management of health emergencies at a global level.
Ropero highlighted that more than half of the IHR provisions are directly or indirectly linked to entry points: ports, airports and land crossings, which play a crucial role in national, regional and global health security.
Meanwhile, Aerodom’s corporate director of Communications, Luis José López, valued the vision and leadership of the Ministry of Public Health in the implementation of international standards to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and the response to health risks at the country’s entry points.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Vice Ministers of Collective Health, Eladio Pérez; Quality Assurance, José Antonio Matos; and of Strengthening and Development of the Health Sector, Yudelka Batista.
Likewise, the director of Epidemiology, Ronald Skewes, and the director of Aerodom, Yammis Gerault, among other collaborators from both entities, participated.
