From the 1990s onwards, national economies became connected and globalized. Changes in the demographic and epidemiological profile of the population highlighted the need for further discussions and strategies on Human Resources for Health (HRH). The health workforce crisis is a worldwide phenomenon. It includes: difficulties in attracting and retaining health professionals to work in rural and remote areas, poor distribution and high turnover of health staff particularly physicians, poor training of health workforces in new sanitation and demographic conditions and the production of scientific evidence to support HRH decision making, policy management, programs and interventions. In this scenario, technical cooperation activities may contribute to the development of the countries involved, strengthening relationships and expanding exchanges as well as contributing to the production, dissemination and use of technical scientific knowledge and evidence and the training of workers and institutional strengthening. This article aims to explore this context highlighting the participation of Brazil in the international cooperation arena on HRH and emphasizing the role of the World Health Organization in confronting this crisis that limits the ability of countries and their health systems to improve the health and lives of their populations.

RESUMO Para o alcance dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável até 2030, o investimento em recursos humanos para a saúde é um dos componentes essenciais. Contudo, a formação desses recursos requer equilíbrio entre a oferta, a demanda e a capacidade dos profissionais para satisfazer às necessidades de atenção à saúde. A Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) é a estratégia apoiada internacionalmente como elemento central e orientador de políticas que fortalecem o sistema de saúde. Ao celebrar 40 anos de Alma Ata e 30 anos do Sistema Único de Saúde, este artigo revisitou a história recente e destacou o profissional enfermeiro com um papel central para a consolidação da APS, sobretudo pelo potencial inovador, criativo e versátil. Os elementos aqui explorados são resultados de debates realizados pela Rede de Pesquisa em APS e reforçam a importância da construção de uma agenda política estratégica diante dos desafios presentes no cenário nacional e internacional, reafirmando a defesa da saúde e da educação pública. Organizado em três eixos, o texto aborda a expansão da enfermagem nas últimas décadas, o investimento na ampliação de escolas para formação de enfermeiros e finaliza com os desafios das práticas de enfermagem voltada à APS e potenciais estratégias de enfrentamento e melhoria, para garantir um futuro já presente no cuidado de indivíduos e populações.

Objective: this study aims to analyze and characterize the movement of expansion of Nursing undergraduate courses in Brazil since the 1990s. The characteristics of this expansion are discussed, as well as the socio-political setting where such movement occurred, and the quality of education available based on the data collected. Method: this is a descriptive and cross-sectional study with a quali-quantitative approach, with the use of secondary databases. Results: an accelerated and disordered growth of Nursing undergraduate courses was identified, as well as the number of vacancies, especially due to the participation of the private sector, especially since the year 2000. Geographical inequalities in the distribution of these courses and vacancies were also identified. Conclusion: the strong expansion of higher education in Nursing, along with other health professions, resulted in the strengthening of private higher education institutions associated with economic groups, regional concentration, as well as the excessive offer of distance learning without adequate evaluation of its quality or repercussions.

No abstract

No abstract