Sustainability Transition in the Health Sector in Brazil

Identifying sustainability transition in the health sector involves analysis of the dynamic and the forces influencing political, sociotechnical and cultural features. The aim of this study is to identify transition in health in a Brazil facing globalization, demographic, migration, environmental and climate change effects and inequities. Brazil has improved its capacity to formulate, implement, monitor and evaluate multi-sectoral and universal public policies in the last twenty years, with the implementation of universal health care and conditional cash transfers. These policies have resulted in the improvement of the health indicators of extreme poverty and hunger, underfive mortality, maternal health, infectious diseases, and primary education coverage. Since the frequency of extreme weather events has been increasing globally and in Brazil, and cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death, the consequences for health systems must be considered. Mortality due to traffic accidents has also increased, despite policy efforts and restrictive laws, overwhelming health services and public financial resources.