Health, alliances and arragements: implementation of a public health policy in the Encosta da Serra, Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

In this paper, I seek to examine how the implementation of a public policy of health care – the Family Health Strategy (FHS) – takes place at a municipal level. The article will be based on the notes of my fieldwork in a municipality located in the region of Encosta da Serra, northeastern Rio Grande do Sul. The analysis will start from the description of everyday and trajectories of two actors involved in the public health system, with the proposal to, at the same time we accompany them, we follow also the implementation process of the FHS in this municipality. My guess, finally, is that the singular perspective that ethnography brings about a broad public policy, such as the FHS, contributes to the understanding of its various conformations, resulting from the plurality of agents involved, as well as to follow this policy into action.