May Chomalí
May Chomalí | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Health | |
| Assumed office 11 March 2026 | |
| President | José Antonio Kast |
| Preceded by | Ximena Aguilera |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 June 1958 |
| Party | Independent |
| Relatives | Fernando Chomalí (brother) |
| Alma mater | University of Chile |
| Occupation | Physician • Politician |
May Paulina Chomali Garib (born 18 June 1958) is a Chilean physician and public health specialist. She was nominated in January 2026 as Minister of Health in the incoming cabinet of President-elect José Antonio Kast.[1]
She is of Palestinian descent and has developed a long career in clinical medicine, health management, and public health administration in both the public and private sectors.[2]
Biography
[edit]Family and education
[edit]Chomali is the daughter of dentist Juan Chomali Celse and Vitalia Garib Aguad, Palestinian immigrants who settled in Chile.[2] She is the sister of Fernando Chomalí, a cardinal of the Catholic Church.[3]
She studied medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Chile, obtaining her degree as a physician–surgeon. She later completed postgraduate studies in epidemiology and public health, as well as a diploma in health management.[4]
Professional career
[edit]Chomali has held senior clinical and executive roles within Chile’s health system. She served as Deputy Medical Director of the Servicio de Salud Metropolitano Oriente and as medical director of the Instituto Nacional del Tórax.
She worked for more than two decades at Clínica Las Condes, where she occupied several senior management positions, including director of medical services. During the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile, she coordinated clinical management and participated in institutional modernization processes, digital transformation initiatives, and the implementation of electronic health record systems.[5]
Until January 2026, she served as executive director of the Centro Nacional en Sistemas de Información en Salud (CENS), an organization focused on interoperability and modernization of health information systems in Chile, coordinating public and private sector stakeholders.[4]
Minister of Health
[edit]On 20 January 2026, President-elect José Antonio Kast officially announced Chomali as his nominee for Minister of Health, serving as an independent member of the cabinet set to take office on 11 March 2026.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Dos tercios son independientes y promedian 54 años: Este es el gabinete que presentó José Antonio Kast para su gobierno". Emol (in Spanish). 20 January 2026. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ a b "Juan Chomali Celse: Servicio y vocación social". iglesia.cl (in Spanish). 22 October 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "May Chomali: the sister of the Archbishop of Santiago who joins the Ministry of Health". El Mostrador (in Spanish). 20 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ a b "May Chomali to lead the Ministry of Health with a focus on management and well-being". Radio Agricultura (in Spanish). 20 January 2026. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ "May Chomali, medical director of CLC: "I experienced brutal sexism in this institution"". El Mercurio (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ "May Chomali, the surgeon who joins Kast's cabinet as Minister of Health". Publimetro Chile (in Spanish). 21 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.