‘Not One Health Service Less’: social movements, new political actors and the right to health in times of crisis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

ABSTRACT

This case study presents the social movement ‘Not One Health Service Less’ (NSSM) on the defence of the universal right to public health in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. NSSM is a horizontal front formed by health social movements, unions, activists, workers and users of public health system. The movement uses multiple strategies like local mobilizations, street protests, social networks, strikes, among others. NSSM rises as a response to attacks of the municipal public administration to local health services of the Unified Health System (SUS), in a national context of economic and political crisis. There were budget cuts at Primary Health Care services, dismissals, delays in wages payments, medicines and supplies shortages. The movement was analyzed considering the challenges of social mobilization in times of precarious work conditions and public services precariousness under neoliberalism. We also discuss about new forms of social movement organization, linking it to the trajectory of Brazilian healthcare reform. The ability to create synergies between health workers demands and the defence of a strong and inclusive universal healthcare system is the strongest potentiality of the movement, while activating solidary links between health services, workers and different territories.

KEYWORDS
Right to health; Unified Health System; Health care reform; Primary Health Care; Health Policy