Brazil’s Ministry of Health is taking a significant step toward adopting the international System of Health Accounts (SHA) methodology by promoting a workshop in Brasilia this week. This event, held in collaboration with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), has focused its efforts on the official implementation of the SHA in the national territory, opening a crucial dialogue on the potential of the system.
SHA Implementation: A Comprehensive Approach
The workshop brought together a ministerial team and various experts to map needs and align expectations of the public and the Brazilian Accounting Group SHA. The main objective is to develop a standardized method that allows accurate estimates of expenses in the health sector to be prepared, both in the public network and in the private sector. The tool promises to provide a comprehensive view of financial flows in the health sector, facilitating detailed comparative analyzes of spending at national and international levels.
Benefits of the health accounts system
The SHA will allow the federal government and partner institutions to more accurately identify who finances health goods and services, how society consumes them, and who provides these services. This comprehensive approach will favor better management of resources and the creation of more effective policies. The methodology will also provide data that will allow international comparisons, offering a global perspective on health spending.
Carlos Gadelha, secretary of Science, Technology and Innovation and of the Health Economic-Industrial Complex (Sectics), highlighted the importance of raising the level of collaboration and innovation between the countries involved. “Health is not only a social policy, but also an economic and technological one,” Gadelha pointed out. “It is crucial to ask who benefits from investments in health and develop actions that promote universal access and adequate financing.”
For his part, Michael Müller, representative of the OECD, expressed optimism about the institutionalization of the SHA in Brazil, stressing that this will allow data flows to be systematized so that future governments can update their figures continuously.
A workshop for the future of health in Brazil
The workshop was attended by prominent personalities from the health sector, including Erika Santos de Aragão, director of Health Economics and Development of the Ministry, Elton Bernardo Bandeira de Melo, executive undersecretary of the department, and Arthur Chioro, president of the Company Brazilian Hospital Services (Ebserh). Representatives of the Pan American Health Organization in Brazil (PAHO) and other experts also attended.
This initiative is part of the bilateral agenda between the OECD and the Ministry of Health to institutionalize the production of SHA in Brazil, formalized after an agreement signed in France earlier this year. The OECD, known for promoting economic development and social well-being, has been a key partner in integrating innovative practices that benefit member and guest countries.
Challenges and methodological steps
During the event, members of the Accounts Group, composed of the Ministry of Health, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and the National Health Agency (ANS), deliberated on methodological and technical aspects. The calculations necessary for the implementation of the international system were discussed, as well as the challenges that this adoption entails.
The implementation of the Health Accounts System in Brazil represents a significant advance in the management and transparency of health spending. This methodology will allow better planning and allocation of resources, benefiting both the population and the health system as a whole. With the support of the OECD and the collaboration of various institutions, Brazil is on the path to improving its health system and ensuring a healthier future for all its citizens.
This comprehensive and collaborative approach is an example of how the adoption of international practices can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of national health systems, providing reliable and comparable data that is essential for the development of informed and sustainable public policies.
