Brazil healthcare access and service expansion

Brazil is implementing various strategies to improve healthcare access and efficiency through digital and human resource initiatives.

Telemedicine has become a key tool for both the public and supplementary health sectors. In the public sector, the Ministry of Health utilizes telehealth—including teleconsultation, telemonitoring, and telediagnosis—to reduce waiting times for low-complexity cases. By May 2026, the supplementary health sector reached over 53 million beneficiaries.

To complement these digital efforts, the Ministry of Health is addressing specialist shortages through the Mais Médicos Especialistas (PMM-E) program. The government has extended the contracts of 676 specialist doctors until February 2027 to ensure continuity of care, particularly in the North, Northeast, and northern Minas Gerais regions. This program, which involves approximately 2,000 specialists across 380 municipalities, aims to reduce waiting times for exams and surgeries while the government develops a long-term model for physician retention.

Recent updates confirm that the extension of these 676 contracts is intended to maintain uninterrupted service while the government prepares a new public notice, expected in December 2026. The specialist pool includes roughly 500 anesthesiologists deemed vital for increasing surgical capacity within the Unified Health System (SUS). Notably, 52% of these professionals work in rural or interior regions, where they may provide up to 75% of specialized services. Participation in the extension requires doctors to meet specific criteria regarding professional development and administrative regularity, with local manager approval. Under the program, professionals can receive up to R$ 20,000 for 20 hours of weekly work, comprising 16 hours of clinical assistance and four hours of continuous education.