Chilean Senator Juan Luis Castro, chair of the Senate Health Commission, outlined challenges facing the country’s healthcare system during discussions on the 2027 budget. He said 2.5 million people are on waiting lists, including around 450,000 awaiting surgery. The average wait is a year and a half.
Castro also pointed to difficulties in getting appointments with specialists and said the healthcare network needs greater capacity to respond.
The senator criticized a 14.4% cut to funding for the Ricarte Soto Law, equivalent to 28 billion pesos. He said the law covers 27 different diseases and warned that reduced funding could affect people who need high-cost treatment.
Castro also discussed healthcare needs in the Arica and Parinacota region, including pressure on Doctor Juan Noé Regional Hospital, a shortage of specialists and the need for infrastructure improvements. He proposed exploring healthcare cooperation with Peru to make medical services more accessible to people on both sides of the border.
The senator questioned Chile’s participation in the so-called Shield of the Americas, saying its scope and potential implications for national sovereignty were unclear. He said democratic oversight of the matter should rest with the National Congress.
Castro referred to the fatal 2025 accident at Codelco’s El Teniente division, in which six workers died. He called for stronger workplace risk prevention and for clarification of information about possible overestimation of copper production.
He also linked public safety concerns to a decline in cultural and recreational activities in urban spaces. Castro said authorities should assess anti-crime plans and strengthen state funding for cultural activities.
