SUS elective surgeries in Brazil increase by 8% in first half of year

Brazil's Unified Health System (SUS) recorded over 7.5 million elective surgeries in the first half of the year, marking an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. This growth, totaling 608,000 additional procedures, was observed in 20 states. The highest growth rates were recorded in the Distrito Federal (31%), Sergipe (25%), Paraíba (23%), Bahia (20%), and Ceará (20%).

A significant portion of these procedures was facilitated by the ‘Agora Tem Especialistas’ program, which conducted 2.92 million surgeries between January and June. The program aims to reduce waiting times for medium and high-complexity care through mobile health units, increased assistance drives, and strengthened telehealth services. The Ministry of Health projects that SUS will exceed 15 million elective surgeries in 2026.

In the Distrito Federal, the health department reported a historic peak, performing 36,442 elective surgeries between January and July. This represents a 35.89% increase compared to the previous year. Local officials attributed this success to the ‘Opera DF’ program, which utilizes private hospital contracts and expanded public network services to reduce waiting lists for consultations, exams, and surgeries.