Brazil launches R$131 million hospital and ambulance rollout to boost SUS

On Friday, Brazil’s Ministry of Health carried out simultaneous delivery events in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Pernambuco as part of the federal government’s agenda led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The program “Agora Tem Especialistas” funded the inauguration of new hospitals in Garanhuns (PE) and Vassouras (RJ) and the delivery of medical‑equipment vehicles, mobile dental units and micro‑buses, accounting for R$ 131 million of federal investment. Overall, the three‑city agenda announced R$ 464.8 million in spending, including a pledge to provide more than 3,000 new ambulances before the end of the year.

Minister of Health Alexandre Padilha also unveiled the National Program of Radical Innovation, aimed at producing medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and other health technologies for the public system. A new Center of Competence for active pharmaceutical‑ingredient development, backed by a R$ 60 million partnership between the CNPEM and Embrapii, will use Brazil’s biodiversity to reduce dependence on imported pharmaceutical inputs, which currently cover 90 % of national demand.