[A health system. Analysis and proposals]

The author examines the health system of Brazil and points out the aspects that need to be changed for attainment of the World Health Organization's goal of health for all by the year 2000. To solve these problems the author proposes, i.a., full integration of the resources and coordination of the activities of the Ministry of Health and the National Social Security Institute of Medical Care with a view to active preventive coverage for educating the population, controlling the vectors of disease, improving the environment, vaccinating, monitoring expectant mothers and infant growth, etc. In addition, he advocates determining the proportion of the contribution to social security to be set aside for health purposes at a specific percentage and removing the cap on that part of the contribution so that the costs of medical care will be more equitably distributed.