[Chilean health system: health response and challenges in the face of COVID-19]

This study analyzes the Chilean health system response to COVID-19 from 2020 to 2023, highlighting moments (according to their epidemiological and sociopolitical context) and its main measures. It also reflects on the opportunities and limits of the response of this system to the epidemic to reform it. This case study included a literature review, document analysis, and 19 semi-structured interviews with relevant institutional stakeholders. Results indicate that, amidst political instability, national health capacities received investments. The adopted measures highlighted the relevance of the public health system, with centralized management of hospital beds by the Ministry of Health, and integrated health surveillance policies with primary health care (PHC). Maintaining the acquired capacities and recovering the strained health care system constitute challenges after the pandemic, strengthening processes of universalization in the agenda of the health system via universal PHC and by extinguishing co-payments.