January 17, 2023

10:01

Gabriel Abreu – Amazon Agency

MANAUS – The Ministry of Health published on Monday, 16, a series of revocations of ordinances signed by the Bolsonaro management. According to the MS, the cancelled actions had not been agreed with representatives of the National Council of Health Secretaries (Conass) and the National Council of Municipal Health Secretaries (Conasems). A specialist heard by AMAZON AGENCY defended the “revokes”.  

According to the Minister of Health, Nísia Trindade, the goal is to extinguish, for example, policies contrary to the guidelines of the Unified Health System (SUS), such as the requirements that hindered access to Farmácia Popular. The list of ordinances revoked took into account the suggestions given by the health work group.

The lack of transparency, dialogue, and joint definitions between the Union, states, and municipalities is totally contrary to the basic precepts of the SUS, which determine a shared management of the Brazilian health system.

“One of the priorities of our management is to reestablish the good relationship and the interfederative dialogue. That is why we talked with Conass and Conasems, because it is always important that, when revoking a measure, there is not a void that leaves the manager destitute. These revocations involve measures without scientific basis, without legal support, which go against SUS principles”, said the minister when speaking about the issue at a press conference last Tuesday, October 10.

Lights Out

The epidemiologist from Fiocruz Jesem Orellana explained that the GM/MS directive, No. 4.809, of December 30, 2022, promulgated in the twilight of 2022, had a composition that looked more like a “Bigtech” shareholders’ club than a Civil Society Articulation Forum.

“The most brazen thing about this ordinance is that, besides not having incorporated universities and research institutions committed to the development of the Health Industrial Complex or not having other actors from organized civil society and segments that could, in fact, give an inclusive character and strengthen the dialogue and priorities to the referred forum, the Bolsonaro Government, throughout its mandate, did nothing relevant in terms of the Health Industrial Complex”, criticized Orellana.

He also recalls that the Health portfolio, in the Bolsonaro Government, suffered several setbacks and that the repeal of the ordinances were necessary by the new management.

“On the contrary, we experienced setbacks or stagnation in the most optimistic of scenarios. Therefore, the revocation of this ordinance is expected because it violates one of the Directives of the Unified Health System (SUS), that of community participation, essential to social control, as well as to the maturing of democracy”, said the epidemiologist.

Other revocations

The requirement to present an electronic prescription to withdraw medicines from the Popular Pharmacy program was also revoked. The evaluation is that this measure, which was not agreed upon with states and municipalities, can make it difficult for part of the population to have access to medicines.

Also among the revocations are the ordinances that promoted setbacks in the reproductive and sexual health care of women and suggested actions and maneuvers that are considered obstetric violence, with changes in the pregnant woman’s record book. This ordinance was also not agreed upon in the Tripartite Interagency Commission (CIT), where all the measures and public health policies are discussed among the representatives of the federative entities.

This way, the Stork Network is instituted again, a program internationally recognized for ensuring quality, safe, and humane care for all women in SUS.

“Faced with a number of unprecedented setbacks in Brazilian public health, the revocation of extemporaneous measures or those without scientific support have become inevitable and necessary for the resumption of a Ministry of Health that is responsible and aligned to what is most current in the scientific world”, Jesem defended.

The ordinance that established the Permanent Forum of Articulation with Civil Society, without the participation of the National Health Council (CNS) and unions, which represent the health categories, was also abolished. The folder must evaluate a new act that includes all these representatives to expand the dialogue with society.