The Juntos pela Saúde Program aims to support and strengthen the Unified Health System (SUS) in the North (N) and Northeast (NE) regions of Brazil, where approximately 75 million people live (IBGE, 2020).

According to IBGE 2020, data, 9 out of 10 people rely exclusively on the SUS in these regions; a high demand, which creates important challenges, such as the availability of physicians. In the municipalities prioritized by the Program, the number of public health doctors is less than 1 for every thousand inhabitants – the Brazilian average is 2.15 for every thousand.

Added to this scenario, there are equally worrying data, such as life expectancy in the region. In this part of Brazil, people live, on average, 3 years less than in the rest of the country, while the infant mortality rate is 3% higher compared to the center-south.

This set of variables was decisive in defining the territorial scope of Juntos pela Saúde.