Ñuble mayors protest proposed 2027 primary healthcare budget cuts

Twenty of the 21 mayors in Chile's Ñuble region have signed a formal request to the government and the Health Commission of the Chamber of Deputies to protest proposed changes to the 2027 budget. The mayors warn that shifting to a per capita financing model will eliminate four historical funding agreements: Universal Palliative Care, More Self-Reliant Older Adults, the Comprehensive Family and Community Health Care Model, and Oral Health Strategies.

While the government proposal includes a nominal increase in per capita funding, local authorities argue this comes at the cost of specialized programs. For example, the mayor of El Carmen reported that his municipality could see funding for these specific agreements drop from over 80 million pesos to just 20 million pesos. The reduction poses a significant risk to rural populations, children, and bedridden patients in a region characterized by high poverty and connectivity challenges.