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Launched by the Regional Government, Universidad de Antofagasta and SQM, the initiative aspires to address the shortage of specialists and strengthen healthcare services in the region.
The Health Specialty Scholarship Program was launched to reduce disparities in healthcare access in the Antofagasta Region by increasing the availability of medical specialists. The program has been awarded the Regional Government’s EMRA Seal.
This initiative is part of the Specialized Human Capital Training Project and stems from a partnership between Universidad de Antofagasta and SQM, bringing together the public, academic and private sectors to address one of the main challenges facing the local healthcare system.
Ricardo Díaz, Regional Governor of Antofagasta, commented: “The Antofagasta Region Mining Strategy is an initiative involving all organized community groups in the municipality, with the goal of promoting the well-being of families.” “In this context, SQM is working to improve healthcare, which is being achieved through scholarships that will be awarded to Universidad de Antofagasta so it can train the specialists that the region currently lacks.”
The initiative aims to strengthen training in priority areas, contributing to both the healthcare network and the university’s academic development. “These partnerships are highly beneficial, as they allow us to continue training new specialists who put their knowledge to work for the community.” “Today we are formalizing a partnership with SQM, focused on promoting initiatives that have a positive impact on people,” emphasized Dr. Marcos Cikutovic, President of Universidad de Antofagasta.
The plan provides funding for training in various medical specialties, along with a commitment to give back that ensures this knowledge translates into effective care for the community.
Rodrido Medina, the Ministry of Health’s representative for the Antofagasta Region, emphasized: “For us, this is a major milestone and a step forward for the region, as it strengthens our pool of medical specialists, which is very important.” “We will have specialists in internal medicine and family medicine, who will subsequently work at various locations, thereby helping to cut waiting lists.”
This initiative also ties in with the work that SQM has been doing in recent years, during which health has gained increasing importance in communities in the Tarapacá and Antofagasta regions.
One example is the Comprehensive Healthcare Project in María Elena and Quillagua, developed in partnership with the Municipality of María Elena and Fundación Acrux, which will provide more than 4,800 specialized medical consultations in areas far from major urban centers.
“We are one of the leading producers of fertilizers made from nitrates and iodine, an element closely linked to health—not only through iodized salt, but also in contrast media and various other applications.” “That is why we have made health one of the pillars of our shared social value, and today we are launching these specialty scholarships, which make a tangible contribution to improving quality of life in the Antofagasta Region,” added Aníbal Abogabir, SQM’s Manager of Communities and Public Affairs.
As such, the initiative is intended to be a concrete step toward addressing the shortage of specialists in the area, combining training with direct care for the benefit of the communities.
