Brasília - There are now 20,561 Family Health Program (PSF) teams operating in over 83% of Brazil's almost 5,600 municipalities. Ten years after its creation, the program reaches around 67 million families. The objective of the program is to bring healthcare closer to Brazilian families.

With a 2004 budget of US$658 million (R$2 billion), the PSF deals with prevention of disease, delivery of care and recovery from illness. This takes place in basic healthcare centers or in homes where PSF teams visit. The teams consist of a doctor, a nurse, a nurse's aide and four to six community health agents. Each team visits an average of 3,500 people monthly. Their priorities are children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with diabetes or hypertension problems, as well as those who cannot make it to the healthcare center. They are always on the lookout for diseases requiring mandatory notification, such as leprosy, tuberculosis and AIDS.

The simplicity of the program and propinquity of the healthcare teams makes for a strong, close relationship with the community being served, characterized by mutual respect.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Irene Lôbo
Translator: Allen Bennett
08/02/2004