The essay analyses how Paulo Freire’s philosophy and its appropriation by authors from Popular Education in Health (PEH) re-signify care while dialoguing with the literature regarding this thematic. Firstly, we reflected on the notions underlying the Freirean ontology: valorization of popular knowledge and cultures, dialogue, respect, and lovingness. Next, we presented the comprehensions and assumptions of care in the literature from PEH, also highlighting the proposed ways to confront the hegemony of biomedicine, a conception that reduces care to a set of technical procedures centered in the disease. The analysis showed that care is assumed as a political act that through different ways must have a commitment with the world construction that implies building an authentic life that allows overcoming the oppressions. Finally, we added to the Freirean approach as word-action of care.
Care; Popular education; Paulo Freire; Ontology; Health practices