0313/2025 - Do Ceará para o Brasil: Perspectiva histórica e desafios da experiência dos Agentes Comunitários de Saúde - entrevista com Carlile Lavor From Ceará to Brazil: Historical perspective and challenges of the Community Health Agents – interview with Carlile Lavor
A experiência pioneira dos Agentes de Saúde (AS) teve impacto expressivo na redução da mortalidade infantil e tornou-se referência nacional, dando origem ao Programa de Agentes Comunitários de Saúde (PACS) em todo o país e, posteriormente, servindo de base para a criação do Programa de Saúde da Família (PSF), atualmente denominado Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF), consolidada como o modelo principal de atenção primária no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Carlile Lavor, médico sanitarista e Secretário de Saúde do Ceará em 1987, foi responsável pela criação dos Agentes de Saúde, sendo popularmente e carinhosamente conhecido como “pai dos ACS”. Em entrevista concedida à pesquisadora Anya Vieira-Meyer, Carlile compartilha reflexões sobre a trajetória histórica e os desafios contemporâneos dos Agentes Comunitários de Saúde (ACS) no Brasil.
Palavras-chave:
Agente Comunitário de Saúde, Saúde Pública, Entrevista
Abstract:
The pioneering experience of the Health Agents (HA) had a significant impact on reducing infant mortality and became a national reference, leading to the creation of the Community Health Agents Program (PACS) across the country and, subsequently, serving as the foundation for the establishment of the Family Health Program (PSF), currently known as the Family Health Strategy (ESF), consolidated as the main model of primary care within the Unified Health System (SUS). Carlile Lavor, a public health physician who served as Secretary of Health of the State of Ceará in 1987, was responsible for the creation of the Health Agents, and came to be popularly and affectionately known as the “father of the ACS.” In an interview granted to researcher Anya Vieira-Meyer, Lavor reflects on the historical trajectory and contemporary challenges of Community Health Agents (ACS) in Brazil.
From Ceará to Brazil: Historical perspective and challenges of the Community Health Agents – interview with Carlile Lavor
Resumo (abstract):
The pioneering experience of the Health Agents (HA) had a significant impact on reducing infant mortality and became a national reference, leading to the creation of the Community Health Agents Program (PACS) across the country and, subsequently, serving as the foundation for the establishment of the Family Health Program (PSF), currently known as the Family Health Strategy (ESF), consolidated as the main model of primary care within the Unified Health System (SUS). Carlile Lavor, a public health physician who served as Secretary of Health of the State of Ceará in 1987, was responsible for the creation of the Health Agents, and came to be popularly and affectionately known as the “father of the ACS.” In an interview granted to researcher Anya Vieira-Meyer, Lavor reflects on the historical trajectory and contemporary challenges of Community Health Agents (ACS) in Brazil.
Vieira-Meyer, APGF, Lavor, ACH. Do Ceará para o Brasil: Perspectiva histórica e desafios da experiência dos Agentes Comunitários de Saúde - entrevista com Carlile Lavor. Cien Saude Colet [periódico na internet] (2025/ago). [Citado em 18/01/2026].
Está disponível em: http://cienciaesaudecoletiva.com.br/artigos/do-ceara-para-o-brasil-perspectiva-historica-e-desafios-da-experiencia-dos-agentes-comunitarios-de-saude-entrevista-com-carlile-lavor/19789
