Chile health ministry to add all cancers to GES plan by 2031

Chile’s Ministry of Health, led by Minister May Chomali, announced that every type of cancer will be progressively incorporated into the Garantías Explícitas en Salud (GES) system between 2028 and 2031. The measure is described as an "emergency of public health" and aims to address the leading cause of death in Chile, which accounts for about 30 000 fatalities and roughly 60 000 new diagnoses each year.

The GES programme currently guarantees coverage for 90 specific pathologies; the expansion will extend financial protection and treatment timelines to all oncological conditions. Funding for high‑cost therapies will be reinforced through the Ley Ricarte Soto. The announcement follows the recent oncology alert that reduced the waiting‑list backlog, with 95 % of patients (28 681 of 30 348) already receiving care.

In the same address, the minister also noted an upcoming addition to the GES catalogue for HIV treatment, reflecting a surge in diagnoses, but the primary focus remains on the comprehensive cancer integration.