Joselyn Chacón
Joselyn María Chacón Madrigal is a Costa Rican physician and politician. She served as Minister of Public Health of Costa Rica during the administration of President Rodrigo Chaves Robles from 8 May 2022 to 7 February 2023.
Early life and education
Chacón was born to José Chacón Sibaja and Aida Madrigal García. She completed her secondary education at the Academic High School of Puriscal. She earned her degree in Medicine and Surgery from the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica in 2017. In 2018, she obtained a master's degree in health services administration from Universidad Santa Lucía, and in 2020, she earned a diploma in hospital care quality management from the Universidad Centroamericana de Gestión Pública.Medical career
In 2016, she completed her rotating internship in surgery and internal medicine at Hospital Monseñor Sanabria in Puntarenas, in family and community medicine at Clínica San Rafael de Puntarenas, and in gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics at Hospital San Rafael de Alajuela.From 2017 to 2018, she served her social service as a general practitioner at the EBAIS clinic in Paracito, Moravia. From July to November 2018, she worked as a general practitioner in the Goicoechea 2 Health Area. From November 2018 to 2019, she was an administrative medical assistant at Hospital México's General Directorate. From 2019 to 2022, she was a medical assistant in the Department of Hemato-Oncology and Radiotherapy at the same hospital.
She ran as a candidate for deputy with the Social Democratic Progress Party representing San José province in the 2022 Costa Rican general election. Though not elected, she served as the campaign manager for Rodrigo Chaves Robles in the second round of the election.
Tenure as Minister
After Rodrigo Chávez's victory in the runoff election, Chacón was appointed Minister of Public Health and took office on 8 May 2022. That same day, she announced new decrees lifting the mandatory use of face masks and COVID-19 vaccination requirements. The announcement was criticized, as such decisions should have been made by the National Vaccination and Epidemiology Commission, which had not issued such a resolution. The decrees were published on 11 November and confirmed that vaccination mandates remained in effect.During her time at the Ministry, Chacón issued decrees to lower the cost of medications through drug approval harmonization, enable parallel imports of health-related products, and fortify rice with nutrients. She also introduced policies to reduce waiting times for mammograms and supported a national digital health strategy.