The purpose of this article is to situate the Community Health Agents strategy as a social intervention that may contribute to bridging the gap in health coverage. In doing this, we used the participation of nonprofit civil society as an analytical tool. Civil society is often neglected in debates about health, which tend to focus the analysis solely on the antagonism between public and private services. By examining this strategy through the lens of popular education in Brazil, we argue that this form of participation cannot be viewed as merely another technocratic solution, but should instead be understood within its cultural and historical context, emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity. Civil society’s participation in health matters has a longstanding history in Chile. Considering the reappropriation of public debates over the past decade, the agential aspect of this intervention could be articulated and potentially institutionalized.
Keywords
Social participation; Public health; Health participation; Community health agents