What made the Mais Médicos (More Doctors) Program possible?

Abstract

The article analyzes which were the actors who participated in the insertion in the governmental agenda of the issue of insufficiencies in the supply and training of medical doctors for the SUS and the adoption of the Mais Médicos Program (PMM) as a solution. Documental and bibliographic analysis and semi-structured interviews were carried out in the methodological perspective of process tracing. Theoretical resources from studies on political processes and from the theories of gradual institutional change and multiple streams were used. Outstanding results were the identification of factors related to the entry of the issue on the agenda, such as the aggravation of the issue, increase in its public perception and change of government. It was found that the action of the President and policy entrepreneurs was decisive for the process of formulating the PMM based on historical legacies of previous policies. We challenge studies that regard the PMM as a hastily formulated solution to an old problem to respond the street demonstrations known as “June Journeys”. The inauguration of municipal governments, in 2013, and the electoral calendar were also important factors and taken into account in the strategic action of the actors who led the formulation of the PMM, with strong opposition from medical entities.