Gastos públicos com saúde: breve histórico, situação atual e perspectivas futuras

Abstract Despite the remarkable progress of the Brazilian public health system, nowadays better known by the acronym SUS (Sistema Único de Saúde), there is still a long way to go to ensure conditions to preserve the health of the Brazilian population. In this text, we unassumingly report the achievements and successful programs of SUS, the problems of financing and mismanagement, and the future challenges and principles that should guide actions to achieve more efficient health care in Brazil.