program will have 1,500 new professionals

In the coming days, the Mais Médicos program will receive around 1,500 new professionals to work in the Unified Health System (SUS), in several municipalities across the country. In an interview with CB.Poder — a partnership between Correio Braziliense and TV Brasília — the Secretary of Primary Health Care of the Ministry of Health, Felipe Proenço de Oliveira, evaluated the good results of the initiative, which recently completed 10 years.

Originally launched in 2013 and discontinued in 2019, the program was resumed last year and now includes 700 municipalities. According to the secretary, it was necessary to more than double the number of doctors to reach the areas most in need. “In the coming days, another 1,500 doctors are traveling to start working in the municipalities with the communities. Furthermore, we have calls that are in force in the Mais Médicos notice to include more professionals for these locations with these 28 thousand vacancies filled. In other words , we went from 13 thousand vacancies filled to 28 thousand”, he said.

The expansion reached 82% of Brazilian municipalities: “The most important fact is that, in those most vulnerable places, which have the greatest need for family health and the greatest need for the presence of a doctor, 60% of the doctors in these cities are from the Mais Médicos program .”

In Oliveira’s assessment, the program went through moments of mischaracterization, which caused a decrease in the number of participants, which even worried the Ministry of Health. “Perhaps the data that most represents this concern is that, at the beginning of last year, more than 5 thousand family health teams were without a medical professional”, he stated.

Among the results, the increase in primary care coverage stands out, with a reduction in preventable deaths and a saving of R$30 million in hospitalizations in the SUS. Furthermore, there was a modest reduction in the infant mortality rate in municipalities with higher indicators before the program.

“This demonstrates the correctness of public policy in guaranteeing the presence of this professional in places where there is the greatest need, whether smaller municipalities or in large cities and their outskirts, where it is essential to have the presence of this professional”, highlighted the secretary.

According to the folder, the average length of stay for a doctor in a Family Health team reaches a maximum of 11 months in each location. The historical average length of stay at Mais Médicos is already higher, around one year and nine months. A period of at least two years is considered essential for getting to know the community and developing actions.

Indigenous

The project reached Yanomami indigenous communities with 29 professionals working in indigenous territories. The allocated professionals will undergo training next week with the Ministry of Education on the use of a new single-dose malaria medicine. “There has been important growth in the general scope of indigenous health”, highlighted the head of Primary Care.

Another front that should boost the program are the investments of the New PAC (Growth Acceleration Program) in Brazilian primary health and the creation of Mobile Dental Units, which will democratize oral health in more remote and needy locations.

“In those more distant rural units, the van with the dental office goes so that care can be provided to that population. There is once again an investment in the structure for providing primary health care.”

*Intern under the supervision of Carlos Alexandre