LAW NO. 8080 AND THE RIGHT TO HEALTH IN BRAZIL: A CRITICAL REFLECTION

Abstract

This research aimed to critically analyze Law No. 8,080/1990 and the impact of this legislation on the realization of the right to health in Brazil, with emphasis on the challenges faced by the Unified Health System (SUS). To achieve this objective, a bibliographic research was carried out, with the review of academic sources, legal documents and institutional reports, allowing a comprehensive analysis of the advances and limitations of the SUS. The research identified that, despite the significant achievements of the Law, such as the universalization of access to health and the creation of a decentralized and equitable system, challenges persist such as inequality in access to health services, especially in poorer and more distant regions, the underfunding of the SUS, the shortage of health professionals and the difficulty of articulation between the different levels of health care. The critical analysis also pointed out that, although decentralized management has the potential to adapt services to local realities, it also leads to inequalities in the quality of care, given the variation in management capacity between states and municipalities. Thus, the research concludes that, despite the advances, it is necessary to strengthen SUS financing, improve public management and ensure effective social participation to overcome inequalities and ensure the full realization of the right to health for all Brazilian citizens.