The socio-ecological and primary care approach to the creation of universal health systems in the work of Hernán San Martin.

This article describes the contributions of Chilean physician San Martín Ferrari (1915-200), arguing that they constitute important cornerstones in collective health in Brazil, Latin America, and the Iberian Peninsula. His work is reviewed, establishing a dialog with the current theoretical research in this field and the context of contemporary health systems. Two main aspects are emphasized: the innovation of San Martín in insisting on the importance of analyses that incorporate the relationship between environment and health; and his role in the creation of the Chilean and the Spanish National Health Services. Although they arose in distinct moments and had different trajectories, these systems constitute examples for the creation of universal public health systems, such as the Brazilian health reform and the ongoing challenge to improve the Unified Health System. The analysis of his work and biography contribute elements for the comparative study of these reforms, as well as an eco-systemic approach to health.