Chile expands public health service access in Tarapacá, La Araucanía

The National Health Fund (Fonasa) opened a new External Service Point at the Centro Médico Kunamastra in Alto Hospicio, Tarapacá, allowing beneficiaries to purchase health vouchers and complete other procedures locally, reducing the need to travel to other communes. Fonasa’s northern zone director, Elba Varas Espinoza, said the site strengthens health‑service presence in the region.

The Institute of Social Security (IPS) announced that its ChileAtiende network now covers all 32 communes of the La Araucanía region. The expansion was enabled by a new Virtual Attention Center in Melipeuco, which reorganized the mobile office’s routes and added virtual and sporadic points of service. Officials Juan Pablo Carrasco and Joaquín Núñez highlighted that the milestone ensures no resident is excluded from state benefits such as the Universal Guaranteed Pension, child and wedding bonuses, and other social programs.