Medical students start semester discussing the SUS

Take medicine at Bahiana is different! Proof of this was the Seminar “Campaign of Fraternity and SUS Challenges” which took place last Tuesday night, July 17, at the Cabula Academic Unit, whose objective was to sensitize new students and provide a reflection on the current situation of the Unified System of Health in Brazil and the importance of Public Health. The seminar was aimed at students in the 1st and 2nd semesters and was coordinated by professors Dr. Bruno Gil, Dr. Sara Rocha and Dr. Mirian Marambaia.

The first speaker was the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Salvador, Don Giovanni Cippra. In his speech, the religious presented the theme of the 2012 fraternity campaign: "May Health Spread on Earth!", the concepts that the Catholic Church has about the individual's health and its vision of the Unified Health System (SUS ). The presentation went further, presenting data on public health in Brazil. To end the speech, Don Giovanni highlighted some initiatives directed by the Church in favor of collective health, such as encouraging special campaigns in the health calendar.

The specialist in the Unified Health System, Prof. Dr. Jairnilson Silva Paim, professor of Public Health Policy at the UFBA's Collective Health Institute, accompanied Don Geovanni and presented data from the latest National Household Sampling Survey - Pnad. The purpose of displaying the data was to prove how the SUS works well, with regard to care. "The SUS works in primary care*, but when we need laboratories and equipment for exams, we are hostages to the private sector", criticized Dr. Paim. Among other negative points of the SUS, the speaker pointed out the poor management of public health resources and the way in which its professionals are hired, who often do not have an employment relationship, being in an unstable situation.

However, he pointed out, with data, the benefits of the SUS, mainly its universal character: health for all.



*What is BASIC SERVICE?

A set of actions in the individual and collective scope, which covers health promotion and protection, disease prevention, with early diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of the individual's health.

BASIC SERVICE services are:

•Monitoring of children and pregnant women;
•Monitoring of people with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension;
•Injection application, with SUS prescription;
•Dental care, education and promotion of oral health;
•Clinical, pediatric and gynecological consultation;
•Nursing consultation;
•Dental consultation;
• Dressings and stitch removal;
• Referral to specialists;
• Supply of medication, with prescription from SUS;
•Support groups (food, physical activities and mental health);
•Inhalation;
•Family planning;
•Conducting a preventive examination for cervical cancer and breast assessment;
• Removal of berne and pest;
•Foot test;
•Vaccination;
•Home visit for bedridden and at-risk newborns.

Source: Ministry of Health