EDITORIAL

Without a participatory nursing, there will be no quality health to take good care of people

The theme of the 76^th Brazilian Nursing Week, of the Brazilian Nursing Association - ABEn (Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem) - Nursing in defense of SUS: Building the 15^th National Conference of Health presents a pressing challenge for the guarantee of continuity of a public and democratic health project for the country. It is a call to nursing, as the most numerous category that makes up the health workforce, to discuss the current National Health Policy beyond its techno-scientific contents, bringing the centrality of its political-ethical dimension for the debate.

In an economic and political environment surrounded by uncertainties, recent events in terms of popular mobilization in the streets have been presented as a phenomenon marked by the opacity of intentions, fragmentation and disparity of projects. Unlike the horizon of social struggles that marked the 1970s and 1980s, which sought the establishment of a democratic social order in the country, the present days are characterized by individualized fights, accompanied by an avalanche of information, mostly of low credibility, fed by the media and social networks, which contribute to increasing misinformation, instead of broadening the citizens' knowledge to the true historical processes of determination that are in course.

In this context, the reconfiguration of political party interests, supposedly unified around the "fight against corruption" theme, seem to obscure other forms of attack on public social policies. The arguments around a basic liberal discourse that assigns every citizen, individually, the blame or credit for his/her professional and economic success gains strength in situations of rupture of the social fabric, as the one we live in. The immense social debts, not yet healed, are lightly considered problems that can be overcome at the individual level of action.

The principles that guided the construction of the Brazilian Unified Health System are, after more than two decades of implementation, most current and progressive than ever. Against the proposals to relativize the principle of universal access to healthcare, the element that can make a difference in the political balance is the ability of mobilization from workers in general and from the health area, in particular, around the defense of the processes that can make SUS advance in what it has as its most essential attribute: the defense of the right to health for everyone.

Thus, the Brazilian nursing is convened by ABen to compose the instances of debate and struggle, in each municipality and in the Federal Unit, recognizing the weaknesses to be overcome, including low investments on health, the challenges to quality training, appropriate and dignified working conditions, among others, and reaffirming the right to public health and quality. It is worth mentioning that, despite the existence of numerous schools, colleges and training centers, the appropriate scaling of the nursing workforce is not a fact, and it needs to be considered in this context.

The participation of nursing in the preparatory processes of the 15 ^th National Conference of health - assemblies, municipal and state conferences - is of vital importance for the strengthening and defense of SUS. The contribution of each professional, manager, teacher or nursing student in these processes will ensure that good care is once again reaffirmed as an inalienable right of all.

Helena Maria Scherlowski Leal David
UERJ College Director
Associate Editor