SUS (Unified Health System) after 25 years: is there anything to celebrate?

DOI: 10.15343/0104-7809.20133715664

Abstract

This paper discusses SUS (Unified Health System) advances and pitfalls and brings information about the historical-political
moment that made the System be created by considering the main ground principles the System relies on: universality,
equity, integrality and social control. We reflect on the system first goals and the journey done for implementing them,
what had been done and what must be done. We identify the main accomplishments, such as the creation of ANVISA, ANS
and the implementation of a Primary Care National Policy (Política Nacional de Atenção Básica), namely Family Health
Strategy (Estratégia Saúde da Família). We also argue for the use of more public resources and the proposal of a more adequate
relationship of the government and corporations as fundamental steps for making SUS reach its programmatic goals.