Chile approves new national standards for Chagas disease control

Chile has approved a new national technical standard for the control and prevention of Chagas disease. Officialized through Exempt Decree No. 64 of 2026 by the Ministry of Health, this regulation replaces the previous framework that had been in place since 2014.

The new guidelines, which include 140 pages and 19 annexes, aim to strengthen healthcare attention and expand detection coverage. A primary focus of the updated policy is the increased screening of women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and children to prevent the transmission of the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite.

The regulation applies to both public and private health institutions across the country, seeking to address identified challenges in the national program and improve timely detection of the infection.