Sistema Único de Saúde

The Sistema Único de Saúde (Portuguese pronunciation: [siʃˈtẽmɐ ˈũniku saˈudʒi], Unified Health System) is Brazil's publicly funded health care system. SUS was created after the Brazilian Constitution of 1988, which assured that health care is a "right of all and an obligation of the State" [1]. Prior to that, only people who contributed with the social security were able to receive health care. The creation of SUS was important in the sense that more than 80% of the Brazilian population depend on it to receive medical treatment. Brazil provides two-tier health care, but only 18.5% of the population pay for private insurance [2].

References

  1. ^ Brazilian Constitution of 1988
  2. ^ Madeiro, Carlos. "93,2% da população de Alagoas depende do SUS" ("93,2% of the population of Alagoas depend on SUS"). Primeira Edição. August 3, 2008. Accessed on January 12, 2009.

External links