The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services oversees the public system through Health Centres, hospitals and specialist units such as the Health Promotion Resource Centre, Environmental Health Unit, National AIDS Response Programme and National Drug Abuse Prevention Unit. Public and private providers both operate in Dominica. No universal rule requiring every patient to obtain approval from a Health Centre before visiting a hospital has been verified, so access arrangements should be confirmed with the relevant facility. Health Centres commonly provide nursing or doctor consultations, screening and management for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other long-term conditions, vaccination, maternity and child care, health education, dental care and pharmacy services. Services differ by location. Hospitals provide outpatient and inpatient treatment, surgery, paediatric, obstetric and gynaecological care, mental-health care, emergency treatment, laboratory testing, radiography, computed tomography, blood services, haemodialysis, cancer care and rehabilitation. Dominica China Friendship Hospital in Goodwill, formerly Princess Margaret Hospital, is a central hospital for more specialised care. Medicines may be supplied through a hospital pharmacy, Central Medical Stores or selected Health-Centre pharmacies. The Health Management and Information System (HM&IS), in use since 2025, supports patient registration, appointments, admissions, prescriptions and digital records, with authorised data sharing. Medicine availability, dispensing rules and fees vary by facility, so confirm stock and payment requirements before relying on a particular supply. Mental-health care includes the Psychiatric Unit at the former Princess Margaret Hospital, psychiatric and nursing services, social work, recognition and treatment through primary care, referral and community support. The Mental Health Act, Chapter 40:62, provides a legal framework for admission and discharge, with safeguards involving the Mental Health Review Board. Follow-up can include specialist review, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, mental-health care and, where necessary, referral overseas. Social Welfare and Yes We Care provide functional support for some care needs outside ordinary clinical treatment. For an emergency, call 911 or 999. Fire and ambulance services can also be reached at +1 767 266 4400, and the hospital at +1 767 266 2000. Ambulance response times and equipment may be limited in some situations, so direct contact with the nearest hospital may be relevant when safe and practical. Immunisation, HIV and sexually transmitted infection services, nutrition support, environmental-health measures and screening for long-term conditions form major parts of prevention. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer together accounted for about three quarters of healthy life lost in 2019, while people aged 65 and over represented about 13% of the population in 2024. Exact consultation fees, medicine prices, appointment waits and referral waits depend on the provider and facility. Out-of-pocket payments represented 23.77% of total health expenditure in 2021. The Ministry directory lists a National Health Coverage coordinator, but current eligibility and package details require direct confirmation. HM&IS states confidentiality and data-security protections; a single clearly verified nationwide standard for general complaints, consent and waiting times is not established, so ask the facility for its current procedure.
Health in Dominica
Dominica's health system combines a nationwide public network of more than 50 Health Centres with three hospitals and private providers. Health Centres offer services such as examinations, immunisation, maternal and child care, screening for long-term conditions, dental care and pharmacy services, while hospitals provide inpatient, specialist, emergency and diagnostic care according to facility capacity. Care may progress from a local Health Centre to a district hospital or Dominica China Friendship Hospital and, when necessary, to highly specialised care overseas.
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