Health in Brazil

In Brazil more than 190 million inhabitants (IBGE Census, 2010), almost 161 million live in urban areas and about 20.5 million has more than 60 years. Of the 110.5 million with 25 or more years, 54.4 (almost 50%) are illiterate or have incomplete primary education and only 12.4 (about 11%) million have completed higher education. Among people 15 to 24 years (34.2 million), 10.5 million are illiterate or with incomplete primary education. The Brazilian population is aging rapidly. We increasingly chronic diseases - hypertension, diabetes, cancer etc..

We have a public health system, NHS, of which close to 150 million people depend exclusively. The SUS is well designed, but goes through serious crises, especially the difficulty of access and lack of quality in many of these accesses. There are islands of excellence, but they are few. The vast majority of patients who depend on the SUS pilgrim on long waiting lists for appointments, tests and surgeries. The NHS pays poorly almost all procedures.

There is a fallacy to blame this debacle would be lack of doctors. Conjure the truth, trying to protect themselves from incompetence. Want to confuse quantity with quality. We need truly is well-trained doctors, which unfortunately has not been the priority. Open up medical schools in Brazil without proper criteria and the worst, most private. Today there are 197 medical schools (114 private or 57.87%), 36 are in SP (3,081 of 17,072 jobs in total). Since 2000 were created 92 new medical schools, 66 (71.74%) private.

India with over 1.2 billion people, has 272 medical schools in the United States with approximately 318 million inhabitants, has 130 medical schools. China with 1.4 billion people has 150 medical schools.

Estimate about 380,000 physicians in Brazil, around 110,000 students currently studying medicine in Brazil and nearly 20 000 students in the first year of college. There are cities in Brazil with more than 4 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (The UK has 2.3 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants, France 3.15, Germany 3.37 and 5.90 Cuba). Quantity does not mean quality. How is public health in Brazil?

Medicine is a science that evolves very quickly and takes care of our highest good health. We need well-trained physicians at graduation (six years full-time), as well as for patient care, those have residency (most are 2-6 years) and have continued medical education, so they are always updated.

Defend one medicine for all. We want doctors in sufficient quantity and quality. We talk about throw open the borders of Brazil to admit overseas trained doctors (especially Cuba and Bolivia), without being evaluated their skills. We have medical schools in Brazil working without the appropriate conditions (pubic and private), and still others want to open more. About these professionals meet? Where?

Brazil is open to receive medical graduates anywhere, but it must have assessed their knowledge, attitudes and skills. At this moment we have the revalidation, but even so, medical schools in Brazil have revalidated qualifications of doctors trained outside of Brazil, using inappropriate criteria, endangering the health of our people good and dear.

Brazil must be true and appropriate state policies, to address the serious health crises and not any government policies or launching media plans, many of them without any planning or appropriate controls and evaluations. The primary need is to be valued with good working conditions, career professionals and solid state.

We know that the Brazilian public health system is underfunded and that resources can be better utilized through quick and quality. In Brazil patient access to health services is time consuming (many complicate the wait) and lack quality of service (poorly trained doctors are not accurate in the diagnosis and treatment). Remain in this vicious cycle of no interest to anyone but insist on continuing. If the patient has complicated the diagnosis or treatment delayed and inadequate health care system becomes even more costly.

We need to change this scenario and seek what is best for everyone. Health is our most valuable asset and the Brazilian people deserve respect.

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