E/C.12/DOM/CO/4 Right to health 55. Notwithstanding the efforts made under the Ten-Year National Health Plan, the Committee remains concerned that the level of allocations for investment in the area of health continues to be low, which has a negative impact on the accessibility, quality and availability of basic health services, especially in rural and remote areas and particularly in the case of marginalized and underprivileged individuals and groups. The Committee is further concerned at the inequality that exists in terms of the various socioeconomic groups’ access to the right to health and their enjoyment of that right, as is reflected in the fact that the infant mortality rate among lower-income groups is far higher than the national average (art. 12). 56. The Committee recommends that the State party allocate sufficient resources to the health sector and step up its efforts to ensure the accessibility, availability and quality of health care, particularly in rural and remote areas and for marginalized and underprivileged individuals and groups and for lower-income socioeconomic groups. The Committee also recommends that the State party improve the infrastructure of the primary health-care system and ensure that hospitals have the necessary emergency medications, supplies and medical personnel. HIV/AIDS 57. While the Committee recognizes the State party’s efforts to ensure access to antiretroviral treatment, it is concerned that access to this treatment remains limited for persons infected with HIV and persons suffering from AIDS who belong to the most disadvantaged and marginalized groups (art. 12). 58. The Committee recommends that that State party intensify its efforts to ensure sufficient coverage with respect to the supply of antiretroviral drugs and facilitate access to them for HIV-infected persons and for persons suffering from AIDS, in particular those belonging to the most disadvantaged and marginalized groups, and that, as part of this effort, it consider the possibility of introducing antiretroviral treatments that use generic medicines. Sexual and reproductive health 59. The Committee welcomes the information provided by the delegation on the discussion in Congress of a new bill that would decriminalize abortion in certain specific cases; however, it finds it regrettable that a total ban on abortion remains in effect. The Committee notes with concern the large number of unsafe abortions that are performed and the high maternal mortality rate. It is further concerned by the high rate of teenage pregnancy, which is due, among other factors, to the lack of adequate sexual and reproductive health services and information (art. 12). 60. The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Fast-track the discussion and adoption by Congress of the bill that would decriminalize abortion in cases where the procedure is necessary (rape, danger to the mother’s life or physical or mental health, fetal non-viability) in order to safeguard women’s fundamental rights; (b) Adopt the necessary legislative and administrative measures to prevent maternal mortality and morbidity, taking into consideration the technical guidance issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the application of a human rights-based approach to the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at reducing preventable maternal morbidity and mortality (A/HRC/21/22); 10 GE.16-18306