The first baby born in 2026 in the Metropolitan Region arrived at Hospital San Juan de Dios in Santiago. Government officials visited the family to deliver a baby kit and celebrate the event. The newborn, Luciana Aurora Gallardo Aguilera, is in good health along with her mother.
In an annual tradition, Chilean government officials visited Hospital San Juan de Dios in Santiago's commune on Thursday to greet the first baby born in 2026 in the Metropolitan Region and her family. The acting Minister of Health, Andrea Albagli; the acting Minister of Social Development and Family, Paula Poblete; and the Undersecretary of Assistance Networks, Bernardo Martorell, shared with the parents and the medical team involved in the delivery.
Luciana Aurora Gallardo Aguilera was born precisely at 00:00 hours and 57 seconds on January 1, 2026, via a normal birth attended by a midwife. She weighed 2.690 grams and measured 49 centimeters at birth, presenting good health conditions, as does her mother. She is the daughter of Cristina Aguilera and Claudio Gallardo, becoming the youngest of three sisters, 17 years younger than the second; the family also has daughters aged 21 and 17.
During the visit, the authorities delivered the baby kit from the Newborn Support Program, which includes a crib, clothing, hygiene items, stimulation materials, books, and a baby carrier, among other items. Paula Poblete highlighted the kit's quality and its role in the Chile Crece Más program, which provides support from gestation until the child turns 18. “This shows the State's presence from the first day. The development and well-being of children cannot depend on the particular conditions of the family, so we arrive with a present State that accompanies and cares,” stated the acting minister.
The hospital director, Dr. Midori Sawada, expressed pride in the birth at the facility. “We are extremely proud that everything went well and that we were able to attend a normal birth, in a process that was not complex and in an adequate atmosphere for care,” she said. Sawada emphasized the hospital's capabilities for deliveries and the key role of midwives in providing optimal and close care.
