Governor Celina Leão pushes health reforms in Brazil's Federal District

Since assuming the governorship of Brazil's Federal District on 30 March 2026, Celina Leão (PP) has made public‑health a central priority. Early in her tenure she cancelled the traditional Brasília birthday celebration, redirecting about R$ 26 million to the health sector. The funds have been used to buy equipment, expand hospital capacity and modernise the public‑health network. Leão also presented the Tabela SUS‑DF, a mechanism that allows the district to contract private hospitals, clinics and laboratories to reduce waiting lists for elective procedures. The programme, together with the expansion of the Opera DF surgery initiative, has reportedly increased the number of surgeries performed by 33 % in a year and cut the average waiting time for hernia operations from over 300 days to roughly 79 days.

Critics, however, say the reforms have not prevented a sharp deterioration in care. Reports describe multiple preventable deaths in public hospitals, including a 49‑year‑old man who died while waiting in a wheelchair at a UPA, severe pressure‑ulcer injuries leading to amputations, and at least two maternal deaths. Observers argue that despite the reallocated budget, shortages of staff, equipment and beds persist, and that the system is effectively collapsing under the weight of chronic under‑investment and mismanagement.