During the 2024–2025 biennium, PAHO supported the formulation and adoption of the national regulatory policy for the integration of care services in Brazil, positioning the concept of primary health care (PHC)- based integrated health service delivery networks as the central organizing axis. This achievement was strengthened by the technical cooperation provided in states such as Bahia and São Paulo. Support was provided for the completion and systematization of national and international comparative studies on models for applying integrated networks at the regional level, as well as for the regulation of access and the incorporation of good practices, lessons learned, and innovative approaches aimed at health for all, efficiency, transparency, and the integration of networks and points of care.

The policy establishes clear guidelines for organizing access to health services nationwide and strengthens health system stewardship by defining prioritization criteria that explicitly consider populations in situations of vulnerability, including users of the Indigenous health subsystem, in alignment with the national policy on health care for Indigenous Peoples. The policy is also noteworthy for its contribution to reducing waiting lists and improving access to specialist care (through the Agora Tem Especialistas (“Now You Have Specialists”) program. A key example in this regard was the support provided for the launch of the national strategy for the elimination of cervical cancer, which included the clinical validation of a nationally developed test for the detection of human papillomavirus (HPV).  

These advances provide an enabling regulatory framework for reducing regional disparities, improving efficiency in resource use and continuity of care, and contributing to sustainable outcomes in timely and high‑quality access, while laying the structural foundations for improved health outcomes across the life course. 

Photo caption: Integrated health services strengthen primary health care in Brazil

Credit: PAHO