PAHO participates in 4th National Conference on Labor Management and Health Education in Brazil

Washington DC, 20 December 2024 (PAHO)- The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) actively participated in the 4th National Conference on Labor Management and Health Education, held in Brasilia from December 10-13. The event, organized by the Brazilian National Health Council with the support of the Ministry of Health, brought together more than 3,000 participants from all over the country to discuss key issues under the theme: "Democracy, Work and Health Education for Development: People who make the Unified Health System (SUS) possible".

PAHO was represented in several sessions, including the session entitled "The Role of the State in Regulating Training, Professional Practice and Labor Relations" in which the main challenges facing the region of the Americas in the regulation of human resources for health (HRH) were presented.

"Effective regulation of human resources for health is essential to ensure quality health care and reduce inequalities in the region. This is a challenge that requires coordinated and sustained efforts," said Gisele Almeida, PAHO's Advisor on Evidence and Knowledge on Human Resources for Health.

During this session, several key issues were discussed, including the limitations of professional regulations that affect the training and quality of healthcare personnel entering national systems; the insufficient capacity in many countries to generate the information, evidence, and knowledge needed for effective policy formulation and decision-making regarding the health workforce; and the need to update outdated legal frameworks that govern aspects such as remuneration, hiring practices, and working conditions.

PAHO also presented the Policy on the Health Workforce 2030: Strengthening Human Resources for Health to Achieve Resilient Health Systems, as well as the results of a regional review of HRH regulations and norms carried out in 2019 and updated in 2023, with the participation of 11 countries.

In the plenary session, Gisele Almeida, and Gabriel Listovsky, head of the Virtual Campus Special Program, participated alongside prominent national and international authorities, including Socorro Gross, PAHO Representative in Brazil; Isabela Cardoso, Secretary of Labor Management and Health Education; and Fernando Pigatto, President of the National Health Council. During this space, questions from the audience related to the health workforce, universal access and equity policies, and the strengthening of SUS were discussed.

The conference took place at a critical time for the health sector in Brazil, marked by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. PAHO reaffirmed its commitment to support countries in strengthening their health systems, promoting equity and universal access to health, and stressed the importance of ensuring decent working conditions for health workers in the region.

About the 4th National Conference on Labor Management and Health Education
After 18 years since its last edition, the 4th CNGTES aimed to mobilize the health regions of Brazil to promote continuing education of health teams, review training processes and strengthen labor and education policies in the scope of SUS. This event constitutes a crucial democratic process to listen and give voice to the various actors of the Brazilian health system.