CHALLENGES IN REFUGEES’ ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN BRAZIL

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To address refugees' access to public healthcare in Brazil. METHODS: Narrative review using recent literature and official documents. RESULTS: Most migrants and refugees access healthcare exclusively through the public health system. Main barriers pointed in research were language, cultural and documentation matters. Most of the issues concern the underfunding of the health system. However, initiatives have been achieving good results, like “Operação Acolhida”. CONCLUSIONS: Delivering refugees the appropriate healthcare is a complex task requiring multiple and intersecting approaches. Although Brazil has a universal healthcare system accessible to those refugees, there are still many difficulties to be tackled in the future if universal healthcare and refugee inclusion is to be achieved.