Chile faces 400,000-patient surgical waiting list crisis

Chile’s public health system is confronting a surgical waiting list of almost 400,000 patients – roughly the population of Santiago – leaving many individuals, especially those with neurological conditions, at risk of permanent damage. Dr. Ximena Fava warned that each week of delay can close a therapeutic window, leading to lasting disability.

The Ministry of Health’s “Extraordinary Resources Strategy for Waiting Lists” (RELE) briefly reduced the backlog in early 2025, but the gains vanished within months. Recent efforts have succeeded in accelerating treatment for oncology patients, with nine out of ten cancer cases previously delayed now receiving care. Despite a 420 % real‑term increase in health spending over two decades, productivity has lagged, and the ageing population is set to intensify demand.

Analysts propose reforms such as hospital concessions, private‑sector management of primary‑care networks, or performance‑based incentives for health officials to address the structural shortcomings of the system.