El Bosque, April 8. - Chile's Minister of Health, Carmen Castillo, called for overcoming the stigma that prevents many people from accessing the treatment they need in order to live healthy and productive lives. She was accompanied by Gisela Alarcón, Undersecretary of Assistance Networks; Paloma Cuchí, PAHO/WHO Representative in Chile; and Sadi Melo, El Bosque Commune's Mayor.
In a conversation held at Carlos Lorca Family Health Center with people who had accessed health programs to overcome depression, the Minister said that "this is an important and delicate issue because, frequently, we do not know how to face it. Of all sick leave requests we receive at country level, 16% are due to depression, so this is a public health concern that must be addressed." She added that sharing makes people grow and that groups gather in El Bosque Commune to overcome depression. She believes they can, but not alone. Teamwork and understanding are essential.
In Chile, depression treatment is available for all ages and has AUGE guarantees (regarding access, quality and financial protection. Depression can be prevented and treated effectively. To that end, the health sector has responded by creating a health care network and has generated regulations to grant access and quality care to all people.
