Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile

Profile narrative

The Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile (ISPCH) is the national public health institute of Chile, operating under the authority of the Ministry of Health. Its core mission is to protect and improve the health of the population through scientific and technical activities. ISPCH provides laboratory diagnostics, epidemiological surveillance, and risk assessment for infectious and non‑infectious diseases. It also conducts quality control and certification of vaccines, medicines, and medical devices that enter the Chilean market. In addition, the institute issues sanitary certificates required for the importation of health‑related goods.

ISPCH functions as the national reference laboratory for a wide range of pathogens, providing confirmatory testing and expert guidance to regional health services. The institute leads national programs for disease outbreak detection, including influenza, respiratory viruses, and antimicrobial resistance monitoring. Its regulatory role extends to the evaluation of sanitary certificates, which are essential for clearing customs on pharmaceutical and medical shipments. ISPCH also contributes to public health policy by generating evidence‑based recommendations and participating in international health networks. These activities position the institute as a central technical authority within Chile’s health system.

As a public agency, ISPCH is administratively dependent on the Chilean Ministry of Health and receives funding through the national budget. It maintains operational autonomy to execute its technical mandate while aligning with national health strategies. The institute’s governance includes a director appointed by the Ministry and advisory councils composed of experts from academia and clinical practice. ISPCH’s infrastructure comprises central laboratories in Santiago and supporting units in other regions, enabling nationwide service delivery. The cyberattack reported on 27 June 2025 highlighted the institute’s critical role in issuing sanitary certificates and underscored the importance of protecting its digital assets.

Incidents

1 incident linked to this organisation.