Health in Ovalle, Chile: official figures
Ovalle comuna has 25 public health establishments in operation in the Ministry of Health register (5 family health centres (CESFAM), 4 community family health centres (CECOSF), 1 public hospital and 5 primary-care or rural emergency units), or 20.1 per 100,000 residents, 2nd highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site.
How many family health centres does Ovalle have per resident?
There are 7.2 CESFAM and CECOSF primary-care centres per 100,000 residents in Ovalle comuna (9 centres for 124,401 residents in the 2024 INE projection), 2nd highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site.
Source: Ministerio de Salud de Chile · saved copyHow many health centres does the municipality of Ovalle run?
23 public health establishments in Ovalle comuna are run by the municipality, 92.0% of the 25 public ones; that is 18.5 per 100,000 residents, the highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site. The rest are run by the health service network or other bodies.
Source: Ministerio de Salud de Chile · saved copyWhere can you get emergency care in Ovalle?
6 public health establishments in Ovalle comuna have an emergency service in the register, including 1 hospital and 5 primary-care emergency units (SAPU, SAR or rural urgency service).
Source: Ministerio de Salud de Chile · saved copyHow many private clinics are there in Ovalle?
The register lists 87 private health establishments in operation in Ovalle comuna (69.9 per 100,000 residents, 2nd highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site), including 1 private clinic or hospital; private ones are 77.7% of the 112 public and private establishments.
Source: Ministerio de Salud de Chile · saved copyHow many health facilities does Ovalle have?
In all, the Ministry of Health register shows 113 health establishments in operation in Ovalle comuna, 90.8 per 100,000 residents, 2nd highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site; this counts public, private and armed-forces facilities of every type, including laboratories, dental clinics and dialysis centres.
Source: Ministerio de Salud de Chile · saved copyHow much does Ovalle spend on primary health care?
The municipal health service of Ovalle spent CLP 34.9 billion in 2025, CLP 280,183 per resident of the comuna (4th highest of 33 Chilean cities on this site that report a municipal health service); staff costs were 68.1% of this (2nd lowest of 33 Chilean cities on this site that report a municipal health service). The regional health service transferred CLP 28.9 billion to it (CLP 232,163 per resident, 5th highest of 33 Chilean cities on this site that report a municipal health service) and the municipality added CLP 630.48 million from its general budget, 1.8% of the service's spending.
Source: Contraloria General de la Republica de Chile · saved copyHow Ovalle compares with other cities in Chile
Public health establishments per 100,000 residents (2026)
Ovalle ranks 2 of 63, highest first. Ministry of Health register, establishments in operation; population is the 2024 INE projection
| Rank | City | Public health establishments per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Linares | 20.2 |
| 2 | Ovalle | 20.1 |
| 3 | Los Ángeles | 18.8 |
| 4 | Valdivia | 18.1 |
| 5 | Puerto Montt | 16.4 |
| 6 | Punta Arenas | 15.1 |
| 7 | Osorno | 14.7 |
CESFAM and CECOSF primary-care centres per 100,000 residents (2026)
Ovalle ranks 2 of 63, highest first.
| Rank | City | CESFAM and CECOSF primary-care centres per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Joaquín | 8.7 |
| 2 | Ovalle | 7.2 |
| 3 | Valdivia | 6.6 |
| 4 | Los Ángeles | 6.3 |
| 5 | Coronel | 6.2 |
| 6 | Pedro Aguirre Cerda | 5.7 |
| 7 | Talcahuano | 5.7 |
Municipally run health establishments per 100,000 residents (2026)
Ovalle ranks 1 of 63, highest first.
| Rank | City | Municipally run health establishments per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ovalle | 18.5 |
| 2 | Linares | 18.3 |
| 3 | Los Ángeles | 16.5 |
| 4 | Curicó | 12.8 |
| 5 | Puerto Montt | 12.5 |
| 6 | San Joaquín | 11.6 |
| 7 | Punta Arenas | 10.3 |
Private health establishments per 100,000 residents (2026)
Ovalle ranks 2 of 63, highest first.
| Rank | City | Private health establishments per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Serena | 81.5 |
| 2 | Ovalle | 69.9 |
| 3 | Providencia | 53.7 |
| 4 | Talca | 37.1 |
| 5 | Arica | 31.9 |
| 6 | Copiapó | 30.1 |
| 7 | Curicó | 24.5 |
Municipal health service spending per resident, 2025 (CLP) (2025)
Ovalle ranks 4 of 33, highest first. Only the 33 listed cities whose municipality runs a health service
| Rank | City | Municipal health service spending per resident, 2025 (CLP) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Granja | CLP 305,650 |
| 2 | Pedro Aguirre Cerda | CLP 286,898 |
| 3 | El Bosque | CLP 282,816 |
| 4 | Ovalle | CLP 280,183 |
| 5 | Lo Espejo | CLP 266,591 |
| 6 | Los Ángeles | CLP 258,930 |
| 7 | Linares | CLP 245,950 |
More on Ovalle: overview · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in Chile
Sources
- Contraloria General de la Republica de Chile: Base de datos de ejecucion presupuestaria municipal 2025 (file of 2 September 2026; this copy keeps the rows of the 63 listed comunas, because the national file is 57 MB; national file sha256 fb4318e0...cf4a), read 29 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 52c1329e4222…)
- Ministerio de Salud de Chile: Establecimientos de salud vigentes (register of health establishments, file of 28 October 2026), read 29 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 febff55e3612…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.