A working class suburb of Chile's capital has begun handing out free Viagra to senior citizens.
Lo Prado Mayor Gonzalo Navarrete said he launched the program because "an active sexuality improves the overall quality of life".
About 1,500 residents of the working class area are eligible to receive as many as four pills of the erectile dysfunction drug each month, the mayor said. They have to be at least 60 and be registered with the municipality's health service.
"A doctor will have to certify that they suffer from erectile dysfunction and that their condition would not put them in danger of suffering cardio-respiratory side effects," Navarrete said by telephone.
He said he has assured about $US10,000 ($A11,000) in financing for the program through the end of the year.
In other countries, some government insurance plans provide Viagra, but Lo Prado hands the 50mg pills out free, with no membership in any public or private insurance plan required.
Navarrete said some other mayors in the capital Santiago, which includes 34 municipalities, have told him they plan similar programs.
He said he did not know how many pills had been distributed so far.
