Brazil Advances Strategic Health Planning and Science & Technology Innovation to Strengthen SUS by 2050

Brazil is intensifying its strategic health planning efforts to prepare its national health system (SUS) for anticipated demographic shifts and technological challenges by 2050. According to recent projections, the country's population growth will cease by 2041, with around 65 million people expected to be aged 60 or older by 2050, underscoring urgent needs for health system adaptation and long-term planning.

A key approach involves six planning cycles running until 2050, beginning with the 2028-2031 cycle. Central to this approach is aligning health policies with federal Pluriannual Plans (PPA) and addressing major criteria such as disease burden and intervention vulnerabilities. The upcoming 18th National Health Conference in 2027 is positioned as a pivotal platform to define health guidelines, alongside calls for a new National Conference on Science, Technology, and Innovation in Health, the first since 2004. Emphasizing autonomy, Brazil targets increasing local production of health supplies from 42% in 2025 to 70% by 2033, aiming to mitigate dependence revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Complementing national initiatives, the State of Santa Catarina is actively crafting its State Plan for Science, Technology, and Innovation (2026-2028) to align regional innovation efforts with broader health and technology goals. The 8th State Conference on Science, Technology, and Innovation (CECTI) convened approximately 100 participants across government, academia, and civil society in Blumenau. Organized by the Secretariat for Science, Technology, and Innovation (SCTI) and the State Foundation for Research and Innovation (Fapesc), the conference seeks to prioritize strategies, gather regional needs, and build effective policies culminating in a statewide meeting on December 2 in Florianópolis.

These coordinated efforts demonstrate Brazil’s commitment to a knowledge-driven, innovative, and autonomous health system that anticipates demographic changes and strengthens SUS for future challenges.