Jaime Barros Pérez-Cotapos

Jaime Barros Pérez-Cotapos was a Chilean physician and politician, born on 3 May 1911 and died on 22 February 2004. He studied at the Liceo de Curicó, graduated as a physician from the University of Chile in 1937 with a specialisation in pediatrics, and practised medicine until the age of 88. Known as the doctor of the poor, he gave free care to underprivileged families in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, often travelling by bicycle, scooter or horse, and founded community clinics in places including Cerro Esperanza, Ramaditas, La Calera, La Ligua, Nogales, Hijuelas and Cabildo. He joined the Communist Party of Chile in 1935 and served as senator for Aconcagua and Valparaíso from 1961 to 1969, sitting on the Permanent Commission of Public Health and working with Salvador Allende on the foundations of the national employees medical service SERMENA. He died in Arica of prostate cancer.