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Based on its ongoing commitment to the sustainable development of neighboring territories and communities, SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition, together with Farmacia Fracción and the local municipality, inaugurated the first pharmacy in the district capital, a milestone that represents a great opportunity to improve access to medicines for hundreds of local families and is part of the company’s agreement with the foundation Fundación para la Superación de la Pobreza (FSP).

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in front of the new facility and attended by the Huarina community and delegations of neighbors from La Tirana, Pozo Almonte, Pisagua and Bajo Soga. Also in attendance were community and regional officials, company executives and representatives from Farmacia Fracción and FSP.

“At SQM we are convinced that the progress of local towns and communities is fostered by initiatives like these, which, in this case, aim to provide access to something as basic as medicine and pharmaceutical supplies. Through this initiative, we are generating integrated social value, where the community also plays a fundamental role in projects like this,” said Gonzalo Guerrero, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SQM.

Farmacia Fracción, open as of today in El Tamarugal, has an important social focus to improve access to medicine in Chile’s remote communities through fairer pricing and alliances with health care providers. In this context, its founder and CEO, Javier Vega, highlighted its arrival in Huara, noting that “it is a significant milestone that allows us to continue expanding to communities abandoned by the market. Huara is the seventh district reached by our national plan to cover the 50 districts in the country without a pharmacy. Together with SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition, we believe this is the right way to reach thousands of people in Chile and especially here in El Tamarugal, where we have many projects and dreams to improve the quality of life of local families.”

The community recognized the advantages of having a pharmacy in the town. Ruth Vilca, president of the Ayayay Association for the Disabled, commented, “Having this pharmacy is wonderful, because before sometimes medicine wasn’t available at the health clinic and we had to go to Pozo Almonte or Iquique and we spent money and time to get there. Now we will have access to medicine at an affordable price here in our district.”

Ivan Fernandez, director of community development for the Municipality of Huara, stressed the importance of this new pharmacy, adding that “the link with the private sector is key to access these basic services for our neighbors. Under the concepts of market supply and demand, it was difficult for large pharmacy chains to open stores in the territory, so today this permanent pharmacy is a major milestone for families in Huara.”

In addition to opening the pharmacy, Farmacia Fracción has launched a project to implement digital pharmacies and delivery points in neighboring towns, to expand its reach and access to medicine, offering this service to 10 towns in the area, including the districts of Camiña and Colchane.

Farmacia Fracción in Huara will be open Monday to Thursday from 09:00 am to 7:00 pm and Friday until 6:00 pm.