Chile public health service expansion

In late July 2026 the Servicio de Salud Aconcagua (SSA) activated a network of primary urgency facilities—rural urgency devices (SUR), a primary urgency service (SAPU), and a high‑resolution unit (SAR)—to provide after‑hours care for low‑ to medium‑complexity cases across several towns in the Aconcagua region. The facilities operate from 17:00 onward, with SAPU closing at midnight and SAR running continuously until 08:00, aiming to reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments and streamline referrals.

A week later, the National Health Fund (Fonasa) opened a new External Service Point at the Centro Médico Kunamastra in Alto Hospicio, Tarapacá, allowing beneficiaries to obtain health vouchers locally. Simultaneously, the Institute of Social Security (IPS) extended its ChileAtiende network to cover all 32 communes of La Araucanía, supported by a new Virtual Attention Center in Melipeuco that reorganized mobile office routes and added virtual service points. Together, these steps broaden access to public health services across multiple Chilean regions.