How public prosecutors of the countryside of Pernambuco State in Brazil understands public health polices

Abstract

The right to health in Brazil, which is constitutionally guaranteed as universal and integral, has led to significant advances in the development of public health policies. The task of supervising and ensuring the correct implementation of these public policies has been delegated to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, from which a more effective intervention has been recently required. The same activity can be observed from the judiciary system. This article aims at describing the understanding of the Public Prosecutor’s Office on public health policies. This was done using the qualitative study method, by interviewing public prosecutors of regions of the countryside of Pernambuco state. The data was examined through thematic analysis and content analysis. The speeches of the interviewed showed three interpretation categories. In the first category, the State, which is responsible for the accomplishment of the subjective right to health, has been presenting fragilities in fulfilling its role. This vulnerability reflects in a higher judicialization of healthcare, which is the second category and it is indicated as an increasing and complex reality in the day-to-day work of prosecutors. The third category identified is a lack of adequate at the level of Bachelor in Law Degrees in Brazil about public and social policies, especially in the area of the Brazilian National System. There is a limited comprehension among Prosecutors of the public health policies which makes necessary more scientific studies to explore the relationship between Public Prosecutor’s Office and the area of public health.