Diabetes in the Dominican Republic Reaches 17.3% of Population

Diabetes in the Dominican Republic has reached 17.3% of the population, according to figures cited by diabetic-foot and cardiovascular surgery specialist Juan Vicente Méndez, who estimated that roughly two million Dominicans are living with the disease.

Méndez discussed the figures during an interview with journalist Federico Méndez on the program “Esferas de Poder,” describing diabetes as an increasingly significant public health challenge in the country. He said prevalence had risen from a previously cited 12.3% to the current 17.3% figure.

Diabetes Is Linked to Thousands of Complications

The specialist also cited an estimated 13% prevalence of prediabetes, warning that some people in this group could progress to diabetes if risk factors are not addressed. He associated the growing prevalence with obesity, insufficient physical activity, calorie-rich diets and stress.

Méndez said the country records approximately 35,000 diabetic-foot ulcers each year and nearly 8,000 deaths attributed to diabetes. He also estimated that around 7,000 amputations occur annually, contributing to premature mortality among people with diabetes.

The condition can affect multiple organs and is associated with serious vascular complications. Méndez specifically linked diabetes to cerebrovascular disease and heart attacks, while emphasizing the burden created by complications requiring specialized medical care.

Hospital Services Face Heavy Demand

As an example of the pressure on healthcare services, Méndez pointed to Francisco Moscoso Puello Hospital in Santo Domingo, where two diabetic-foot units reportedly receive more than 100 patients on some days, with attendance reaching 120 or even 150 people seeking treatment.

He estimated that the facilities see more than 1,000 patients a week and said about 40% of them are diabetic patients. The figures, he argued, illustrate the scale of the healthcare demand associated with diabetes and its complications.

Risk Factors and Regional Differences

Méndez also cited other health indicators, including hypertension affecting 34% of the population and overweight affecting more than 20%, as part of a broader pattern he said is increasingly affecting younger patients.

He called for prevention efforts that go beyond dietary changes, including regular physical activity as part of patients’ daily routines. The World Health Organization’s diabetes guidance likewise identifies healthy eating, regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight as measures that can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

The specialist identified the National District as one of the areas with a particularly high frequency of cases and said the southern part of the country has a reported prevalence of 34%.

A Growing Health Challenge

International data also show a substantial diabetes burden in the Dominican Republic. The International Diabetes Federation’s 2025 estimates put the number of adults aged 20 to 79 with diabetes at about 1.2 million and the age-standardized prevalence at 17.6%, while the organization estimates that 42.8% of diabetes cases in that age group remain undiagnosed.

Those figures differ from the broader estimate cited by Méndez because the IDF figures use a defined adult age range and specific methodology. The available data nonetheless point to diabetes as a major health issue in the Dominican Republic, particularly because of the complications that can develop when the disease is not diagnosed or adequately controlled.