Our Catholic-based Mission recruits medical and non-medical volunteers from all faiths and all backgrounds to help us to provide hope and improved lives to the people of Constanza. We accomplish this through three primary activities; support for the Nuns in Tireo, year round medical support and by providing clean water to the people.
First, the financial support we provide for the Sisters in Tireo, a part of Constanza, allows the Sisters to in turn help the people most in need with food, clothing, financial and moral support.
Second is year-round medical care through the bi-annual medical missions and more importantly, the funding of a Clinic in Tireo with a full-time doctor and medical equipment to provide daily preventive and urgent care to the people of Constanza.
Over 50,000 people live in Constanza and its surrounding towns. The foundation of the local economy is agriculture; a large percentage of the population earns their living by picking crops. Due to this lifestyle, many people suffer from chronic injuries. Health care is limited and supplies are extremely limited and expensive. For example, the main hospital in Constanza doesn’t have any functional incubators. It doesn’t even have oxygen monitors to assess patients after surgeries. In addition, most people do not have running water and the water they drink is often contaminated. Due to this issue, many children chronically and unnecessarily suffer from water-borne illnesses. For a variety of reasons, the people of Constanza are in dire need of medical and dental services.
Relevant Statistics
| Statistic | Dominican Republic | USA |
|---|---|---|
| Maternal Mortality (per 100,000 births) | 95 | 19 |
| Under 5 Mortality Rate (per 1000 live births) | 34 | 6 |
| Health expenditure (% of economy) | 5.9% | 16.8% |
Note: These statistics come from the World Bank.