POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS EM SAÚDE DA CRIANÇA NO BRASIL : AVANÇOS E PERSPECTIVAS DA ÚLTIMA DÉCADA

Abstract

This study conducts a literature review on child health, public policies, and infant mortality, with an emphasis on the role of Primary Health Care (PHC). The methodology involved searching for articles in scientific databases, initially resulting in 673 articles, of which 650 were excluded for not meeting inclusion criteria, leaving 23 for initial analysis. After a full reading, 13 studies were excluded, leaving 10 articles that made up the final corpus for analysis. The analysis of these studies allowed for the identification of the advancements and challenges of public policies over the past 10 years, focusing on the promotion of breastfeeding, continuity of child care, and the reduction of preventable mortality. The results revealed significant progress in access and the quality of care, but also highlighted persistent obstacles, particularly in Brazil’s more vulnerable regions. Resource scarcity and social inequalities continue to directly impact children’s health conditions, hindering the effectiveness of public policies. To ensure equitable and high-quality child health, it is essential to consolidate existing policies, guarantee universal access, improve health infrastructure, and promote sector integration. This effort is critical to providing all children, especially those in more vulnerable situations, with the opportunity for healthy and full development.