HEALTH AS A HUMAN RIGHT: THE IFMSA BRAZIL’S EXCHANGE EXPERIENCE IN AMAZON

Introduction and Objectives: The concretion of the three guidelines (Universality, Equity and Integrality) that substructure SUS – the Brazilian Public Healthcare System – has proven itself at least challenging when taking into consideration Brazil’s territorial dimensions and natural scenarios. So, how to enable SUS extension coverage to riverain families and to those who reside isolated by hundreds of kilometers from the closest family healthcare unit or city center? The objectives are Better know the reality and the difficulties faced by the riverside inhabitants when they look for public health care. Methodology: Throughnational Exchange programme, IFMSA Brazil provided students the opportunity to take part in a Primary Healthcare Unit in a riverain community, responsible for 1300 families, in the sweeping Ponta de Pedras’ county, situated in Marajo’s archipelago, Pará’s province. Results and Conclusions: The intimate relationship of this population with the water presents itself as an important cause for the most common diseases found in their scope. Recurrent amongst these women, bacterial vaginal discharge is consensually, for local health workers, result of the habit of wearing wet clothes for hours, whilst children are frequently bothered by parasitosis. Comprehend public health as a fundamental human right is to prosper in the concepts of health in its integral form, building up the human being in consonance with his peculiar way of life. For this reason, the experience with the riverain community corroborates with the active quest commitment for the medical formation in agreement with the different peoples necessities.