At Brazil Conference, the economist said SUS still faces obstacles to functioning fully
The President of the IEPS Council (Institute of Studies for Health Policies) and IMDS (Institute of Mobility and Social Development), Armínio Fraga, said on Saturday (12.ab.2025) that, “In Brazil, people still dream of health plans“. This should light up a warning to politicians,” Fraga said during the Brazil Conferenceevent held by Brazilians at Harvard University, USA.
For him, the SUS is a victim of lack of knowledge and attention. The economist proposed to rethink the priorities of public spending in Brazil, because the SUS (Unified Health System) “spends only 4% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product)”He compared public health investments in other countries, such as the English system that spends 24% of GDP, to demonstrate that the Union invests little in the area.
According to the latest data of ANS (National Health Agency), in January, there 52 million health plans in Brazil.
In addition to Fraga’s speech, The Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Adriano Massuda, stated that it is necessary to rebuild the tradition of public health in Brazil. For him, SUS had its role invalidated In the former president’s administration years (PL).
To assist in the development of public health, he defended cooperation between public and private systems: “We can no longer think Brazil with 2 systems that work in parallel, competing for the resources we have. And I do not only speak of financial appeal. Resources are also qualified professionals, better hospitals, inputs”.
Brazil for Brazilians
Brazil Conference is a meeting of authorities, businessmen, artists and influencers Brazilians traveling to Boston, United States, to talk about Harvard, a university in the city of Cambridge – led to Boston – and headquarters of the educational institution.
The event has been promoted annually since 2015 by Brazilian students from the Boston region (not just those studying at Harvard), a place known for receiving Latin immigrants, many from Brazil.
Despite being in a US city, most panels are with Brazilians talking in Portuguese on stage and audience composed mostly also by people from Brazil, as if it were at a conference held in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro.
The event speakers almost always publish photos and videos on their social networks, saying they are in Harvard – which is true. But it is a small impact meeting in the United States and almost null repercussions in the North Mediaamericana.
