Chile: the balanced view : a recopilation of articles about the Allende years and after

fumishing medical and surgical equipment and supporting otber hospital facilities will require an expenditure of $ 10. mHlion in national currency and $ 40. milliori in foreign currency. Any figure advanced in the immediate program in connection with providing new hospitals must be considerad premature; therefore, in orderto guarantee the seriousnéss of this analysis, it is preferable not to mention figures, although it is well known that providing new hospitals involves considerable annual outlays.(1) 3. Housing As has been pointed out in the preceding study, housíng programs were largely postponed during tha last three years, and the pace of éonslruction was reduced lo almost half the level of the preceding ten years. Underthese conditions, it is anticipated that housing will be builtforthe next six years at the following average annual rates: i) 41,0.0.0. urban houses with a minimum of2D sq m each, at an individual cost of 1.24 mi Ilion escudos each (US $4,0.0.0.), either in the form of single units or multistory, buildings .................. íi) 8,DDDr-Ural homes, 25 sq m each (initial module), ata costof$ 1,4DD·per unit .............................................. . iii) 8,0.0.0. housing units of the Savings and Loan System, at a cost of $ 14,0.0.0. per unit ..................................... . ív) 1,0.0.0. .prívate homes at an average cost of $30.,0.0.0. ..... . US $164,0.0.0.,0.0.0. 11,20.0.,0.0.0. 112,0.0.0.,0.0.0. 30.,0.0.0,0.0.0. US $317.20.0.,0.0.0.(2) Assuming that foreign cooperation is obtained trom the Social Development Fund of the World Bank and other institutions to finance public hQusing, a figure of $ 17 million per year could be considered a minimal contribution for the infrastructure. VD. RESULTS Since this study contains numerous approximations, lts results can on Iy be considered indications: 1. The study does not cover aH investment activities. 2. It does not correspond to programs over a uniform period oftime, since it includes investments between 1974 and 1975 and programs from 1974 to 1981. 3. There is no breakdown according to years. . 4. Estimates in escudos are affected by the important fact that budgets were prepared at very different times, spanning the period from at leastmid-1972 to the end of 1973. Thus, their converslon to the equÍValent dollar values involves a degree of arbitrariness that makes It possible to predict differences ot sorne importance. 5. In turn, estimates for foreign currency requirements have been prepared over a ,period of at lea~t 18 months, during which substantíal changes in prices took place. However, despite these weaknesses and other minor ones that could be pointed out, the program and the charts presented are uodoubtedly of interest. (1)1t must be poínted out that the 1974 budget consíders a total investment in health of approximately US$ 40 million. (2)The 1914 budget includes a fiscal investmllnt in housinll equivalent lo US $210 million. 246