Challenges of complementary and alternative medicine in the SUS aiming to health promotion

Abstract

The complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) besides promoting the reduction of costs, have also proven to be effective as well as they have invested in health promotion and health education, as a means of preventing the disease to take control and possibly result in serious consequences. OBJECTIVE: to investigate the knowledge, opinions and social representations of managers and health professionals about those practices (CAM) in Public Health System (SUS) as well as to identify the difficulties and challenges that are present in their implementation, use and disclosure in the Health Services. METHODS: the survey was carried out in a Basic Health Unit and Specialty Clinic in the northern area of São Paulo/SP, Brazil. We chose the qualitative approach with its instruments, documentary analysis and interviews based upon pre-established guidelines directed to managers and health professionals of these units. The total of 35 interviews took place between the months of July to August 2010. RESULTS: the results support the thesis that managers are not prepared to implement the National Policy on Complementary and Integrative Practices (NPCIP) inSUS: only five out of the twenty six respondents were aware of the National Policy (NPCIP); the biomedical model sessions still prevails; material supply and acquisition of raw materials used in some of the CAM have become a major issue in the unit; the disclosure of the CAM has not been enough so as to be fully known by professionals and users alike. Furthermore, most of the professionals working in the Specialty Clinic where the CAM has been offered have undervalued those activities. The Complementary and Alternative Medicine have not played the role they should and/or could in the SUS for the Promotion of Health yet. CONCLUSIONS: it is pivotally necessary that the City of São Paulo/SP encourages and creates conditions for taking the CAM into all Health Units, so as to improve, disclose and support the inclusion of non-medical professionals, provided that they have proper training since practices such as Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Anthroposophy and Phytotherapy are already considered as medical specialties. Included in Public Health System (SUS),the Complementary and Alternative Medicine can certainly contribute a lot for the Promotion of Health.