In a Comment introducing the Series, Lancet Senior Executive Editor Dr Sabine Kleinert and Editor-in-Chief Dr Richard Horton applaud the successes in Brazilian health , but also highlight the areas of concern that continue to impede progress.
They say: "There is still much to do. The complex mix of public and private health provision needs urgent attention. Brazil has the highest rate of caesarean sections in the world, many high-technology interventions are done for the wrong reasons, obesity is increasing at alarming rates, and alcohol consumption and violence are unacceptably high and have far-reaching consequences. What is needed now is continued political will to tackle difficult questions and make the right decisions based on the country's most important priorities."
They conclude: "A strong emphasis on health as a political right, together with a high level of engagement by civil society in that quest, might also mean that other countries can look to Brazil for inspiration (and evidence) to solve their own health predicaments…We hope this Series does show why Brazil should not only be taken more seriously by the international health and science communities, but also be admired for implementing reforms that have put health equity at the centre of national politics—an achievement many readers might wish for their own countries."
Journal
The Lancet