The recomposition of the health movement in the 2013-2022 context: Organicity and expansion of collective political subjects

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to describe and analyze the composition of the Brazilian Health Care Reform Movement (MRSB) in the period 2013-2022, assuming that the original composition of the movement may have changed due to changes in the sociopolitical scenario and the ability of activists to mobilize with various political actors in the most recent context. Part of a broader study, the methodology of this article uses the analysis of documents and news published on the websites of Brazilian Center for Health Studies (CEBES) and the Brazilian Association of Public Health (ABRASCO), and interviews conducted with key informants. The results indicate the continued political protagonism of collective political actors historically linked to the MRSB, such as CEBES and ABRASCO, around which entities operating in the health sector have gathered. With the creation of the Frente pela Vida (FpV) in 2020, the movement expanded through the aggregation of organizations and entities that operate in the societal space. It is concluded that the MRSB remains alive and active, highlighting that the actions of the FpV may signal the resumption of the ‘socio-community path’ in the defense of democracy, Brazilian Health Reform and the Unified Health System.