Representatives from the Santiago Medical College, the Center for Cancer Prevention and Control (Cecan), and the National Cancer Institute (Incáncer) submitted a formal proposal to Health Minister May Chomali and Undersecretary Alejandra Pizarro this Tuesday. The document follows the seminar ‘Oncology Alert: Critical Focus Areas for an Effective Response in the Metropolitan Region,’ held in response to the health alert declared on March 20.
The report, detailed by latercera.com, reveals that while the GES (Explicit Health Guarantees) system maintains high compliance levels, approximately 20,000 people are facing delays in oncological care. This figure includes 4,750 and 5,380 people facing delays for colorectal and cervical cancers, respectively, as well as 3,719 cases of breast cancer.
According to the report, patients with cancers not covered by the GES system are even more vulnerable due to information gaps that prevent timely treatment. Furthermore, the system lacks a direct registry to accurately characterize these waiting lists.
Diagnosis and structural proposals
The primary bottleneck identified by these institutions is the diagnostic process. This issue stems from a rising incidence of the disease in the country, coupled with a failure to adequately manage demand or increase the capacity of the healthcare network.
To mitigate this situation, the document proposes six critical pillars: improving medical records and information transparency; strengthening public healthcare offerings by utilizing existing infrastructure; providing equipment and incentives to hire specialists; streamlining demand management; reducing network fragmentation; and developing a strategy to incorporate all types of cancer into the GES system.
Among the specific recommendations is the need to clean up waiting lists and build reliable data. The proposal also suggests prioritizing patients based on clinical risk—such as in the case of colorectal cancer—to ensure continuity of care.
Francisca Crispi, president of the Santiago Medical College, expressed her readiness to tackle this healthcare challenge. “We are seeking coordination among all stakeholders, and we want all doctors to be part of this initiative. It is essential that this oncology alert serves as an opportunity to strengthen the public network by investing in extended hours and better equipment,” she stated.
Similarly, Enrique Castellón, director of Cecan, explained that the presented solutions aim to address both urgent and structural issues. “We must prioritize waiting lists using clinical risk criteria, better integrate the healthcare network from primary care to high-complexity centers, leverage both public and private capacities, and strengthen early detection, which is key to improving therapeutic outcomes,” he said.
The institutions warned that the state's response should not be limited to a temporary 90-day measure. The document concludes by calling for permanent policies that include sustained investment, the digitalization of medical records, and the protection of the health budget against potential cuts.
