Original article: Informe INDH sobre acceso a Salud en Aysén y Magallanes: Falta de especialistas, infraestructura y poco acceso a medicinas entre las principales carencias
The head of INDH Magallanes, Cristián Figueroa, along with a team from the regional office, toured Puerto Natales and the Última Esperanza province to share findings from the report «INDH on the Ground: Access to Health in the Regions of Aysén and Magallanes.»
Conducted in 2025, the study aimed to assess access to this fundamental right in the southern regions of Chile.
Figueroa emphasized that «on-the-ground work for the office is essential, as it ensures a territorial perspective on human rights.»
«Being in Última Esperanza and Puerto Natales enables us to engage with key stakeholders and identify local issues, reinforcing the role of the INDH and its commitment to observing, promoting, and protecting human rights in the region,» he added.
During their visit, the INDH team met with provincial delegate Guillermo Ruiz, to whom the report was presented. The meeting also facilitated a discussion on the scope of the recorded findings, with commitments to develop outreach actions by the end of February.
Among the primary findings and recommendations of the report are the shortage of specialist doctors, accessibility issues regarding medications, and inadequate diagnostic infrastructure outside regional capitals.
Additionally, the INDH’s observations highlighted the challenges posed by the area’s extreme geography and poor connectivity, forcing individuals to undertake costly and exhausting journeys to access medical treatments.
The report also examines the impact of these deficiencies on vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and dictatorship victims included in the PRAIS program. Review the full report HERE
Meeting with the Mayor
Finally, the INDH Magallanes regional team met with Puerto Natales Mayor Ana María Mayorga.
Along with providing the report, the INDH invited the municipality to support a short film competition the office will host this year: “Perspectives that Transform,” aimed at students throughout the region to highlight the importance of human rights in people’s lives.
The mayor praised the initiative and committed to supporting and participating in both the call for entries and its promotion.
