The establishment and implementation of the Brazilian universal healthcare system (Sistema Único de Saúde [SUS]) guarantees universality, fairness, and establish healthcare as a duty of the state. Several strategies have been developed, including the Family Health Program which in theory redefines primary care. However, there are weaknesses in the professional education of nurses, physicians, and dentists to provide primary care to the individual, family, and community as defined by the SUS. Therefore, humanization of care becomes a paradox. The authors discuss those issues using narrative review and emphasizes Freire's theoretical framework as an approach for college education of healthcare professionals to overcome difficulties in adopting and implementing primary care according to ideals and principles of the SUS.
Health systems; Family health; Education, higher; Human resources formation; Nursing; Medicine; Dentistry