SUS financing: a resource or management issue?

Abstract

Introduction: The Unified Health System (SUS) appears in a context of political redemocratization in Brazil, so it is strongly associated with a moment of expansion of rights, in which health is seen as universal and unrestricted. The SUS had its entire implementation process governed by the Organic Health Laws (LOS), which discuss the rules regarding its financing, regulating its transfer and direction. However, these laws are constantly updated through projects and amendments that positively and negatively influence the health infrastructure. Objective: To promote reflection about Brazilian Public Health, focusing on the financing of the SUS, trying to conclude whether its failures are due to insufficient resources, deficient administration, or both. Methods: For that, an integrative review was carried out based on the scientific productions registered in the BVS and Scielo databases. Searches were carried out in April and May 2021 using the following descriptors: "Financing", "Unified Health System", "SUS", "Organization and Administration", "Primary Health Care" and "Management", including periodicals in Portuguese and published in the period from 2008 to 2020 that met the objectives of this review. Results: According to the pre-established criteria, 20 materials were selected, being 16 studies and 4 legislative norms, which explain how the financing of the SUS is done.Conclusion: Finally, the findings demonstrate that the problems involving the financing of the SUS depend both on an efficient source of funds and on a qualified management, which demonstrates a joint action of both factors in the observed scenario.