Doctors in Politics: A Lesson from Chile

History of the health care system in Chile.

“…27 There was deep resentment that the workers' councils were conceived of as instrumentalities for the Government's broad social policy and were thus motivated by political considerations. 26 Minister of Health Arturo Jiron resigned, stating in a public letter to the President that communications between the two had broken down.28 Government Decree No. 602,20 which empowered the neighborhood health councils to decide on local health policy, was a major problem.14 The communities and the nonprofessional health workers designated their council representatives, but the physicians participated poorly, if at all.…”