Congress overturns veto on readjustment for community health agents

This Friday (17th), the National Congress overturned the veto of President Jair Bolsonaro on the readjustment of the salary floor of community health workers and agents to combat endemic diseases.

Lawmakers overturned this veto after an agreement between congressional leaders, which allowed it to be included along with others that ended up being overthrown as a bloc.

The readjustment for the so-called ACSs and ACEs was included in the text of the Annual Budget Law.

In particular on this item, the federal government justified the veto by stating that the discrimination of the adjustment to these categories in the budget would not have a direct relationship with the programmatic structure of the bodies involved. This could result in overlapping actions and undermine the quality of programmatic budget classification.

“Furthermore, it should be clarified that community health workers act as an integral part of primary health care, which involves other expenses programmed from the orientation for the expressed result, such as the qualification of this modality of health care”, states the justification of the veto.

“Segregating the resources referred to in these provisions into specific programming would create risks to budget efficiency, favor the fragmentation of the operating strategy, violate the concept of program budget and, for this reason, the legislative proposal goes against the public interest”, completes the text .

Community health agents are part of the family health strategy. They are formed by the communities themselves and act in them, having a closer relationship with a particular location.

When celebrating the overthrow of the veto, parliamentarians highlighted the role of these professionals in fighting the pandemic.

“Community health agents, as well as other health professionals, worked exhaustively during the pandemic”, said Congresswoman Carmen Zanotto (Cidadania-SC), who took the opportunity to ask for the approval of the national nursing floor — already approved by the Senate.

“The overthrow of the veto is essential to guarantee a fair salary readjustment for Community Health Agents and for Agents to Combat Endemic Diseases. It is unacceptable that, at the moment in which we live, we fail to value these professionals who have a fundamental role in fighting the pandemic and in strengthening the link between the structures of the health system and the communities. A huge victory,” says PSOL leader Talíria Petrone (RJ).

Deputy Hildo Rocha (MDB-MA) also highlighted their presence in the neediest communities, acting directly in prevention with the population.

“We know the importance of these professionals for preventive health. They are the great warriors of health, who are in all Municipalities, they are in their homes. During the pandemic period, they showed the great importance they have for the entire Brazilian people”, stated.

“We could not fail to recognize this. And the best way to recognize and value the work of a professional is precisely their remuneration. It is to recognize that it is important for the Unified Health System, it is important for Brazilian public health”, completed.

In the same block of overturned vetoes, lawmakers reestablished a provision that grants health care to civil police officers in the Federal District and their dependents.

The government argued in the justification of the veto that it contradicted legislation that brought exceptional measures during the fight against the pandemic, which prohibited the granting of any adjustments and benefits to public servants.