Our Life in NMI

Today Julia went to get her oil changed in her car. She was driving with a local Dominican who sold her the car. He asked if she would like to see "THE REAL SANTO DOMINGO" These are photos from their experience.

Streets like this are quite common throughout the city.  

Yesterday I was reading in the news about the Dengue Fever on a local newpaper website. Here is what they were saying:

Dengue death rate too high The Dominican Republic's death rate from dengue is 15% higher than the accepted average. International organizations quote 1% as the typical death rate for victims of the mosquito-borne disease, but in the Dominican Republic the fatality rate is currently at 16%, with 27 deaths out of 3,700 suspected cases. Yesterday, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) representative for the DR, Cristina Noguiera, said that she was worried about the situation and attributed the high number of fatalities to poor handling of the cases. She also pointed to the lack of potable water and deficiencies in hygiene and garbage collections in the country. Noguiera said that a lack of basic hygiene in the Dominican Republic allows mosquitoes to breed, and she called on mayors to help in the fight to eliminate breeding areas. She added that "if there is adequate handling of cases, only 1% of the patients might die, and the nearly 16% that we have in the Dominican Republic is really pitiful". Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez reminded reporters of the long-standing campaigns that emphasize the use of covers and chlorine in water storage vessels. He also mentioned the poor handling of some cases, such as a child who was brought to Santo Domingo from La Romana by car, with a blocked saline drip. The boy died as he reached the Children's Hospital, and the case is under investigation. This Photo shows the extensive amount of trash and standing water on one street... now imagine that multiplied by hundreds.

It is said of Santo Domingo that there is no middle class, only the poor and the rich. This area is considered the upper class of the poor. Julia said they had no floors in their house. I would imagine then that they have no running water either.

This is a typical photo of the country side of the DR. When Marvin and I drove home from Bayahibe we saw much of the same things. However, this photo was taken in the same area as the ones above.

You have seen photos of our house and the area where we live. Now you see photos of areas such as this. The difference is so extreme! Julia wants to go around the city taking more photos. I will see if she can send them to me to update the blog too!

Photography courtesy of Julia