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Original article: $413 mil millones de recortes en salud ponen en alerta atención primaria: Amplio y transversal rechazo por ajustes del Gobierno

Major Health Budget Cuts Trigger Political Tensions and Alarm in Regional Hospitals

The reduction of over $413 billion from the Health Ministry’s budget, established through Treasury Decree 333, has sparked significant political and health-related controversy nationwide.

According to Radio Diario UChile, Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz defended the measure, stating that “sometimes with fewer resources, you can do more,” insisting that there is room to enhance hospital efficiency and optimize facilities and surgical rooms.

The Executive has maintained that the cut represents 2.5% of the Health Ministry’s budget and would not affect direct patient care. President José Antonio Kast supported the decision, asserting: “We will not cut social rights, but we want to manage resources better, which are scarce.”

Criticism has even emerged from factions close to the ruling party. According to Radio Diario UChile, Huechuraba Mayor Maximiliano Luksic urged the government to reconsider the cuts. “Primary Care is already under significant pressure, and every dollar cut means worse medical attention for Chileans,” he stated. He also added that “municipalities are the entry point to the health system, and rather than cutting, all efforts should focus on improving and strengthening Primary Health Care. We cannot leave our patients adrift.”

Simultaneously, Deputy Omar Sabat warned that “we will not remain silent from the regions while decisions are made in Santiago that could weaken essential hospitals for southern Chile,” raising concerns about potential impacts on surgeries, specialists, and medical supplies.

Questions also arose in Congress from both the official coalition and the opposition. Deputy Matías Fernández, a member of the Health Committee, described the cuts as “a direct blow to the heart of public health in Chile,” warning that it would affect “the daily care of over 16 million people.”

Additionally, Senator Karol Cariola told Radio Diario UChile that “I agree with improving management and making every effort to make spending more efficient. However, that isn’t achieved by cutting the budget.” The senator remarked that the adjustment is “absolutely unusual,” recalling that historically “every year the Government must supplement the budget rather than reduce it.”

A Shift in Message: “Yesterday We Were Told There Would Be No Cuts in Health”

The criticism has escalated in municipalities with high population density. According to Chilevisión Noticias, Maipú Mayor Tomás Vodanovic reported a $1.6 billion cut to El Carmen Hospital. “Yesterday we were told there would be no cuts in health. Today we receive a notice indicating a budget reduction of $1.6 billion for El Carmen Hospital,” he declared.

The municipal leader added: “This only harms thousands of people receiving public health services. Let those cuts not be paid for by those who have the least.”

From Puente Alto, Mayor Matías Toledo accused that the Sótero del Río Hospital would face a $3.182 billion reduction. “This is a huge blow to public health; we are disillusioned,” he expressed, adding that “we are being pushed toward the wear of public and municipal institutions.”

Araucanía on Alert

In La Araucanía, the situation has caused widespread concern regarding the impact on historically overcrowded hospitals. The regional news outlet Tiempo21 reported that cuts could total nearly $8.5 billion for the region’s health services. The adjustment involves $5.845 billion less for the Araucanía Sur Health Service and $2.618 billion for Araucanía Norte. Affected facilities include the Hernán Henríquez Aravena Hospital in Temuco, with a reduction nearing $1.475 billion; Villarrica, Padre Las Casas, Nueva Imperial, Lautaro, Pitrufquén, Angol, and Victoria.

The regional president of the Nurses’ Federation, Claudio Carrasco, told Radio Biobío that “there is a contradiction between what is said publicly and what is done administratively.”

Chillán Hospital to Experience a $2.099 Billion Reduction

Other regional hospitals are also among the most affected in the country. According to BioBioChile, Chillán Hospital would face a reduction of $2.099 billion, ranking among the seven facilities with the largest cuts nationally.

The interim director of the facility, Ximena Espinoza, defended the decision, stating that it aims to “improve the efficiency of public resources while safeguarding the functioning of the health system.” She added that the adjustment “will be approached through internal management measures and technical prioritization,” ensuring protection for “the care areas and those services directly linked to patient care.”

Fenpruss Alert in Biobío

Concerns also spread to Biobío. In a publication released by Fenpruss Biobío, the union warned that Los Ángeles Hospital would face a reduction exceeding $2.7 billion. Leader Leila Almendras stated that the facility “has been dragging a deficit for years” and the cuts could exacerbate existing difficulties, directly affecting “the quality and timeliness of health care.”

Furthermore, leader Ramón Peña questioned why the adjustment targets a facility that had shown improvements in efficiency and waitlists. “It’s a hospital that is doing well, and yet it receives one of the largest cuts in the country,” he said, amid growing warnings about the potential impact of fiscal adjustments on public health in Chile.

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