O Conselho local de saúde no Centro de Saúde Serra Verde: instrumento de participação social

Abstract

This study discusses the Local Health Council as an instrument of social participation and a democratic practice in the State of Law and Democracy. The purpose of this study is to critically analyze the social control as a juridical and institutional conquer, pointing out strategies for the promotion of democracy through social participation in the local health system. The amount of knowledge of the population of the Health Center at Serra Verde about social control was evaluated, as well as the importance given to social control by the population. A questionnaire was applied to the users of the Health Center for this evaluation. The data revealed that overall the population does not know about the purpose and existence of the Local Health Council. Therefore, an increase in the public consciousness of the local community about the importance of social control is necessary as a form of empowerment and as a social-political instrument.