BROOKLYN, New York, August 21, 2005 – With more than $160,000 in cash raised from the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Lions Clubs International Foundation and the Dominican’s State Sugar Council (CEA), BRA is finalizing the modern-designed construction of the bateyes’ first medical center complex located at batey Cinco Casas in the province of Monte Plata.

The center, with a price tag of more than half-a-million US dollars in construction, projects and first-year operation, is set to be inaugurated early this year. The facility will be equipped to provide complete health care (general medicine, pediatrics, ophthalmology, dentistry, gynecology, and preventive health education) to at least 12,000 per year, including HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis education/prevention/treatment. It also has space to conduct medical research, perform laboratory work — a warehouse with the capacity to store 10 40-foot containers of medicines and supplies, a dormitory to house 5 long-term volunteer health professionals, and an ambulance. “Our intended goal is to make affordable health care freely accessible to all residents of the bateyes inside their own communities,” said Ulrick Gaillard, BRA’s CEO.

Other key donors to the project include Direct Relief International, the Catholic Medical Mission Board, the New Jersey Eyeglass Recycling Center and Food for the Poor.

Additional funding is critically needed for the center’s maintenance and additional projects. Please contact us at bra@bateyrelief.org about how you can help.