Single Health System: the brazilian experience in the universality of health access

Abstract

Since 1988, Brazil has been working through a unique Health System (uHS). The background of its formation are supported in the constitutional recognition of health as a human right and in a school risen in academic grounds, which impulsed progressive health universalization. The uHS is regulated, monitored and financed by the government in its three levels of administration: the union, the States and the Municipalities. At the same time, it has the support of the three powers in the country: Executive, Law system and judicial system. There is also participation of the private enterprises, though they are submitted to a regulation which is very similar to their public partners. universality, equity and integrity are the constitutional principles in which its actions are based, and on turn, regionalization, maintenance of the hierarchy, decentralization and people participation are its organizational principles. Nevertheless, universalization is a great challenge, and even now, the mechanisms directed to achieve a wider covering and quality attention to all the users are being implemented.