The Brazilian public healthcare system (SUS) is not a system for the poor and is already emerging stronger from this crisis, says expert.
Public health physician Lígia Bahia, one of Brazil's leading experts in public health and the SUS (Brazilian Unified Health System), says that "there is no doubt that the SUS is the main protagonist in this whole story." Watch on TV 247.
247 - Lígia Bahia, a public health physician and one of Brazil's leading experts in collective medicine and the SUS (Unified Health System), spoke with TV 247 about the situation of the public health system amidst the coronavirus pandemic. She said that the health crisis Brazil is experiencing highlights the importance of the SUS and shows the need to support the system.
Lígia Bahia also said that it is necessary to dismantle the idea that the public health system is only for poor people, but rather that it is a universal system. “Now people are shouting from their windows 'long live the SUS', they are supporting healthcare professionals. The SUS has this positive symbol of hope, of the future, of solidarity, it preserves that. I think we come out better, honestly I think the SUS is already being strengthened and the SUS will emerge stronger. Over time it has become naturalized that the SUS is for the poor, and the SUS is not a health system for the poor. Either we have a unified health system, or we have a bad health system. Sometimes the SUS is like Santa Claus, everyone likes him, but nobody believes in him.”
The doctor explained that if the government transferred revenue to the private healthcare system were applied to the SUS (Brazilian public healthcare system), it would increase the system's capacity to combat the coronavirus crisis. “Unfortunately, it's very perverse that we have a universal public system that could be a powerhouse against the coronavirus, and yet we have this situation. We could be doing much better; we're not doing well. Why? Because we have far more private ICU beds than public ones. We have 25% who have health insurance, and there are far more private resources to serve 25% of the population than 75% of the population who don't.”
“Allocating more public resources to the private sector during this health emergency is a sign that the SUS (Brazilian Public Health System) will not emerge as strengthened as it could. There is no doubt that the SUS is the main protagonist in this whole story; everyone loves the SUS, everyone talks about the SUS, the SUS has become beloved, and the fact that the SUS has become beloved is very important. It is clear that without the SUS we would be much worse off, so I think that when we get out of this, there will be a price to be paid, and if we know how to properly collect that price, if we manage to strengthen the SUS a little during this time, I think we can emerge from this process and reaffirm the SUS. There is a certain affirmation of the value of the SUS for the population, and how important it is that we are all treated equally,” he concluded.