[Regionalization of health services: challenges for the Angolan case]

This article presents the health situation in Angola from 2000 to 2007, discussing regionalization of the health system as an important instrument for improving access and the use of health services in the country, besides highlighting the conditions and challenges for implementation. The article is based on a literature review of: (a) Brazilian authors, considering that health reform is still under way in Brazil, with extensive academic output on this particular theme, (b) African authors or studies on Africa and international studies, considering the need to review regional and global experiences related to the subject, and (c) World Health Organization studies and guidelines on health decentralization and regionalization. The need for reform in the Angolan health system has been demonstrated by the enormous structural and operational deficiencies, leading in turn to low effectiveness and reliability. Regionalization was considered a key strategy for restructuring the health system. However, the evaluation of its impact will only be possible in the long term.