One of the SUS principles, equity, establishes that the State must offer more to those who need it most. Based on this principle, the School Health Program (PSE), created in 2007, structured an intersectoral policy coordinating the Ministries of Health and Education, with the objective of promoting the quality of life of public school students through actions prevention and health care in schools. This continues to be the path to adopting self-care practices, from early childhood to the last years of school life.
The self-care policy had already been devised in 1918 by the doctor in education and professor at the State University of Campinas, Heloísa Helena Rocha, who, together with the São Paulo Institute of Hygiene, launched a model of Health Education aimed at instilling healthy habits since childhood. early childhood education, with practices aimed at disciplining children in relation to health. To achieve this objective, schools were encouraged to promote information campaigns to combat endemic diseases and epidemics, in addition to disseminating, mainly, means of disease prevention and health promotion. However, this attempt to create a school care policy did not achieve its objectives. Among the reasons, the lack of intersectoral management and the lack of coordination between systems and services stand out. To overcome this fragmentation in public policies, the PSE was created, forming a support network that helps students understand their transformations and develop in a healthy way.
Historically, the practice of intersectorality does not exist in the Brazilian State, and citizens are not seen in their entirety, which harms students and the effective execution of the activities of the School Health Program. Given this, there is a continuous need to implement New Generation Public Policies, as well as the adoption of a figure in the school community who articulates the family’s approach to the school, establishing a bond of trust. This figure, together with the appropriate social assistance and health equipment, should highlight the legal needs of families, keeping children in school and encouraging these students to have equity both in learning and in their social life.
In the municipality of Araraquara, in the interior of São Paulo, there is a successful example of intersectorality beyond the PSE: the Território em Rede Program. This program aims to integrate local public facilities to coordinate public policies in the regions served, ensuring full protection for families. The program gained great momentum with the implementation of the Educating Communities Program, which created the figure of the community coordinator. This coordinator is a school employee who periodically visits students’ families, collects information and informs managers and teaching staff at each school unit. The most serious cases are discussed in the Network Territories, which work in a similar way to the integrated territorial councils, monitoring each student through indicators such as time dedicated to studies, level of family education and interaction with family and health, between others.
In Contagem (MG), Comunidades Educadoras was listed by the UN as one of the 16 most successful educational experiences in the world. The community coordinator plays a role similar to that of a health agent, being the axis of articulation between education, health and assistance, thus complementing the activities of the PSE.
The Educating Communities Program, which creates integrated territorial councils and strengthens intersectorality, was transformed into Municipal Law in Suzano, a municipality in Alto Tietê, close to the capital of São Paulo, and is currently underway in six municipalities in Rio Grande do Norte, in partnership with the State Secretariat for Education, Sports and Leisure. Health equity proposes respect for the needs, diversities and specificities of each citizen or social group, allowing the search for appropriate intervention strategies to mitigate harmful effects on health, starting with the PSE and going through New Generation public policies.
In turn, these policies require a focus on human beings and the social relationships they establish, forcing government bodies to manage based on social demand, with listening and dialogue. This listening must be analyzed in an integrated manner by the various social policy equipment installed in each municipal territory.
Given the ongoing debates during this year’s municipal elections, this innovative approach could be the focus of concerns for candidates for Mayor and City Councils.
