Chile: Public Health and Community Welfare

Program Highlights

Within South America, Chile has been recognized as having the highest quality of public health services validated by statistics, including the lowest mortality rates in the region. Recent public health policies have concentrated on family and community welfare by focusing on promoting health and preventing diseases while taking into consideration current practice around treatment, recuperation and rehabilitation to improve everyday health problems. Epidemiological reports indicate a rise in non-transmittable diseases and mental health issues, and as a result health programs have been increasingly targeting issues such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, depression, and schizophrenia.

Traditional medicine is still prominently practiced in territories where the indigenous population has a voice (Aymara in the north and Mapuche in the south), and where the Chilean government has developed the Indigenous Health System. Students will have the opportunity to participate in educational excursions to northern Putre where they can interact with the Aymara population and understand health policy issues within a local indigenous context.