• J Jiménez de la Jara.
• Departamento de Salud Pública, Universidad Católica de Chile, Marcoleta 352, Santiago de Chile. jjimenez@med.puc.cl
• Salud Publica Mex. 2001 Sep 1; 43 (5): 485-93.

AbstractThe combination of inspiration, science, and politics is a cornerstone precept for the common good of humanity, towards the fulfillment of social objectives. Based on this precept, this paper reviews core experiences of the Chilean Health Sector. Health sector key events taking place during the first half of the 20th century were the creation of the National Health Service and the development of mother and child healthcare policies. After the earthquake of 1939, the future President of Chile, Doctor Salvador Allende, set up the Special Sanitation Council, to balance policies. Also, he launched the Social Security reform process, which endured financing restrictions and the animosity of physicians opposing the socialization of medical care. In 1951 the reform was approved, to extend coverage to blue collar workers and their families; separate health provision from healthcare security; emphasize preventive pediatric care in mother's health, and reproductive health. The basic tenets of healthcare reform were the right to health, solidarity, and equity, as the pillars of policy-making and healthcare programming. The question of whether the evolution of social security in Chile has been consistent with the original healthcare reform tenets is raised by the author.

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