ON INEQUALITY IN THE AREA OF HEALTH IN BRAZIL

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There are several examples of inequality in the country, such as difficulties in accessing education and housing. But health inequality is perhaps the most emblematic, as it can greatly influence people's expectations and quality of life.

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Due to the size of our country and the population, there is a great inequality in the area of health. And not only between those who use the SUS and those who have health insurance, but public health, which 80% of Brazilians depend on, is unequal in different regions of Brazil, despite having universality, integrality and equity as principles.

 

One of the reasons for this inequality is the type of financing of each state, the resources are not equal between the different regions of the country. Also, there is a concentration of doctors and technologies in large centers, while health professionals and basic supplies are lacking in more remote regions.

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In addition to the inequality arising from the system itself, we cannot fail to mention the social differences that make it difficult for groups that live in the same environment to have access to health care. The disparity can occur within several factors such as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, place of residence, gender, physical characteristics and sexual orientation.

 

We could list hundreds of reasons why access to healthcare is unequal in Brazil, but the most important thing to talk about is the impact this has on the population. And for the population as a whole, not just for those with low incomes or those with difficult access.

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In 2011, a study conducted in the US showed that costs in the sector would have a annual savings of $15.6 billion  if there weren't this health disparity. This was due to the analysis that certain diseases (such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke, among others) would not affect the poorest strata of society if they had the same access to health care as citizens with more purchasing power.

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This amount, for example, could be invested in the national production of medicines, vaccination of the population, inspection of the quality of products and in other services used by 100% of Brazilians.

 

So even if you have access to a good health service, health inequality also affects you. Inequality in health is a problem for all of us!

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AND HOW TO FIGHT THIS INEQUALITY?

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Ensuring that the population participates in decisions about the country's health! Making sure that our voice is being heard and taken into account by those who make the decisions. Only in this way will we be able to have public policies that actually meet the needs of ALL of us Brazilians, in all regions of the country.

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So that people become aware of the importance of participating in health decisions and know how to do so, we carry out training, develop digital content, lives, projects and lectures at events about the different tools for social participation.

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The result of these trainings are people aware of their power of transformation, who understand that participating in decisions about the country's health together with the government is more than exercising their democracy: it is an act of empathy and love for others, in addition to being a way of taking control of your own life, since government decisions directly affect the lives of each one of us.

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Below are some examples of how we do this in practice.🇧🇷

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