[The limits of collective action in municipal health councils]

This article addresses the collective actions of participation in the municipal health councils. The underlying research sought to establish the performance of the councilors in the municipal health councils in the Metropolitan Region of Belém in the State of Pará. A survey of documents for the 2005-2010 period, structured interviews and observations with counselors in sessions of meetings of the boards of three counties were analyzed. An indicator of three levels of participation centered on the legal functions of the health councils and based on the theory of social groups as its analytical principle was constructed. The results indicate that the activities of the councils are marked by the co-option of councilors and the definition of deliberative agendas on the part of representatives of management, in which individual interests predominate over the collective interests of the councilors in the deliberations. The conclusion is that such behavior is contrary to the principles of the Unified Health System - SUS and weakens the social image of the councils, in addition to opening up a new analytical perspective.