National Strike in Municipal Health Sector Begins October 28: Confusam Reacts to 2026 Budget Freeze

Original article: Paro Nacional de la salud municipal desde este martes 28: Confusam responde al congelamiento del presupuesto 2026

The National Confederation of Municipal Health Officials, Confusam, has called for a national strike on October 28, 29, and 30, in response to the freeze on funding for primary health care for the year 2026 and the withdrawal of the Más Adulto Mayor Autovalente (Más AMA) program.

It’s important to note that the national board of Confusam, convened at their executive council on October 9 in Santiago with representatives from across the country, unanimously decided to initiate a national mobilization process culminating in a strike from Tuesday, October 28, to Thursday, October 30.

In a statement, they expressed that this decision was made as a «clear and organized response to the indifference of the Government and the Ministry of Health, who have abandoned primary care and, consequently, the most vulnerable communities in the country».

They indicated that in the weeks leading up to the strike, grassroots movements will take place from Arica to Magallanes, including territorial assemblies, meetings with Local Development Councils, sessions with Federation Councils, and parliamentary work.

«We will not only denounce the freezing of the per capita funding for 2026 but also its direct consequences on health teams and the quality of care received by the public,» they stated.

«Despite ongoing inflation, the funding for primary care remains stagnant, jeopardizing services and undermining the public health role,» they asserted.

Confusam: «We Are Concerned About Cuts to Primary Care Programs for Fiscal Savings»

Confusam emphasized that the national strike will also serve to protest against the withdrawal of funding for the Más Adulto Mayor Autovalente (Más AMA) program for the coming year.

«The neglect of primary health care is further reflected in the disgraceful decision to eliminate funding for the Más Adulto Mayor Autovalente (Más AMA) program starting in 2026,» they stressed.

The Confederation reminded that this program is recognized for its social impact on thousands of older adults across Chile.

«The Government seeks to dilute it into other programs, denying its essence and the multidisciplinary work that promotes autonomy, mental health, and the participation of our seniors in community life,» they accused.

In this context, Confusam President Gabriela Flores expressed concern about the Ministry of Health’s decision to redesign «the Promoting and Preventive Strategy in Primary Health Care» by merging five programs, including Más Adultos Mayores Autovalentes, Healthy Living, Detection, Intervention and Assisted Referral, School Health, and Community Care, purportedly for economic reasons.

She warned that this measure «endangers the overall well-being of older adults and the real continuity of the community work that thousands of primary health officials sustain with effort and commitment».

Flores noted that while they appreciate the goal of strengthening continuity of care throughout life, it is alarming that this redesign stems from the report of the «Advisory Commission for Structural Reforms to Public Spending,» which seeks to generate savings for the state and proposed eliminating the Más AMA program.

«The Ministry of Finance, through the Budget Office, commissioned experts to evaluate primary care programs, and MAS AMA received a poor evaluation not due to its excellent results, but because of a lack of supervision and follow-up in communities by health services and municipalities,» she explained. This analysis subsequently led to the decision to not allocate a budget for 2026.

Nonetheless, Flores emphasized that this program has been operational for ten years and has had a very positive impact, as it has integrated participating older adults, provided tools for their autonomy, and strengthened their community networks.

«The evaluation from health teams, as well as from users, is excellent,» she added in a press release disseminated by Confusam.

The leader denounced that this situation adds to other economic decisions made by the current Government, such as freezing the funding for primary care (per capita funding) for the second consecutive year in 2026.

Gabriela Flores reaffirms that this program has been running for a decade with very positive effects, stating, «It has integrated participating older adults, providing them with tools for autonomy and strengthening their community networks. The feedback from health teams as well as users is excellent.»

In this sense, she called on the Ministry of Health to open «a genuine dialogue with primary health workers, communities, and social organizations before moving forward with changes that seem more aligned with economic demands than the health needs of the population.»

«From Confusam, we state clearly that primary health care is not an expense; it is an investment in justice. If the state continues to deny resources to the front line of health, there will be overwhelmed hospitals, sick users, and exhausted teams,» the organization warned in a statement shared on social media.

However, they stated that if investment is made in primary care, «we will have healthy communities, autonomous individuals, and a nation that recognizes that public health is the true national treasure.»