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Original article: “Por un lado se baja el IVA a inmobiliarias y por otro se reduce el presupuesto en salud”: Senadora Cariola por recortes del Gobierno

««I Really Don’t Understand Where the Priorities Are»: Senator Cariola on Government Health Budget Cuts

In an interview on the show Profundidad de Campos of TV Senado, Senator Karol Cariola, a midwife by profession, delivered sharp critiques regarding the budget cuts implemented by the Ministry of Finance under President José Antonio Kast. She stated that «healthcare in Chile is not overfunded; on the contrary,» and noted that «Chile consistently has a deficit compared to the percentage of GDP that the WHO and OECD recommend we invest in health.» Cariola emphasized that a significant portion of healthcare funding comes directly from Chilean citizens, while «the government’s contribution remains minimal.«

The senator expressed her distress over the impact of budget cuts on the existing financial plan, saying, «We approved a budget for 2025, and it has been reduced by $400 million, which is also the same amount being cut from VAT payments to large real estate companies in our country.» In a compelling comparison, Cariola asserted: «On one hand, they lower the VAT for real estate developers, and on the other hand, they cut the health budget because the government stops collecting that money.» She added that this decision directly affects her region, highlighting that «the Van Buren Hospital doesn’t need its resources cut; it needs investment. (…) The base hospital in Valparaíso is facing a crisis and will lose $1.3 million.»

Regarding the announcements made by the President during his initial State of the Union address, Cariola expressed support for prioritizing the resolution of the oncology waiting list, stating, «we agree that this is a priority and we will support it.» However, she warned of a clear contradiction in government policy: «On the other hand, public health is being stripped bare by budget cuts.» She openly questioned the executive’s priorities, stating, «I really don’t understand where the priorities are when the government speaks of health.»

As a midwife, the senator also addressed the historical decline in the birth rate, which has recorded a Global Fertility Rate of 0.97 children per woman. She characterized the President’s proposals as «very limited,» asserting that to encourage childbirth, «measures must be taken to ensure that healthcare is universal.» She noted that «infertility treatments are prohibitively expensive, and today in Chile, only those with resources have access to these options.» Furthermore, she added that «many families postpone parenthood because they lack economic means.» She concluded with a troubling question: «If hospitals have less funding, how will resources be allocated for egg freezing?»

To hear all of Senator Karol Cariola’s statements on health, birth rates, and the national reconstruction project, we invite you to watch the full interview on the show Profundidad de Campos of TV Senado.

La entrada Senator Cariola Criticizes Government Budget Cuts to Health While Reducing VAT for Large Real Estate Companies se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.