In an interview with Folha, Minister of Health said that patients “do not want to know” whether they are being treated by state or private hospitals
The Minister of Health, (PT) said in an interview with S.Paulo Folhapublished this Thursday (10.Jun.2025), that the federal government “has already surpassed” the debate on the establishment of partnerships with private hospitals to work in the SUS (Unified Health System) network.
According to the minister, public-private partnerships in the health system are necessary to speed up care. Padilha stressed that the patient “You don’t want to know”What type of service is receiving.
“This is not the first time and it will certainly not be the last one that takes advantage of the private resource to ensure the service of the people who need the most in the public sector. The popular pharmacy program is an example of this. We have already surpassed this debate at other times. Anyone waiting for specialized care does not want to know if it will be attended to a state, philanthropic or private hospital. He wants to be answered”He said.
On May 30 by the President (PT), the program “Now has specialists” aims to reduce queues for consultations and specialized SUS procedures.
There are 10 main actions provided for in the program, among which are the accreditation of private institutions, the expansion of hours of care in public health units and the exchange of debts for health plans and private hospitals for care to the public health system.
Padilha stated that the program will be “greater mobilization of the entire health structure of the country”The minister pointed out that the 2025 medical demography, coordinated by USP (University of São Paulo), showed that only 10% of specialist doctors serve exclusively to SUS and reiterated that the population that needs special treatment should be met.
“The program creates a mechanism allowing this doctor, this equipment, this diagnostic machine to receive a SUS patient and serve it without paying anything. Mobilizing this resources with this focus allows, for example, to perform assisted surgery of congenital heart disease in Manaus, in the state where there are only 3 pediatric heart surgeons, accompanied all the time by HCOR [de São Paulo]which is one of those hospitals of excellence”He argued.
“Taking the patient from SUS to be treated in private or philanthropic hospitals or health insurance networks brings an offer that would not be available. I believe it will show a very big impact”, Added the minister.
Regarding government mechanisms to ensure care in remote areas, Padilha stated that investment in the construction of polyclinics and hospitals will be required, as well as increasing the supply of resources for sanitary transport.
“Let’s resume the training of specialists in the country. The main fixation point of a doctor after his formation is where he made the medical residency. There will be two initiatives. First, for those who are already experts and want to improve on some technique, an internship in some specialized center. Another line is the formation of residence”Explained the minister.
