The Brazilian Ministry of Health has renewed a five-year management contract with Rede Hospitalar Sarah Kubitschek worth R$7.5 billion, in a move designed to expand specialised services under the public health system (SUS). The agreement, signed in Brasília by Health Minister Alexandre Padilha, will fund consultations, diagnostics and complex treatments across Rede Sarah’s rehabilitation hospitals.
Brazil healthcare investment aims to reduce waiting lists
The renewal forms part of the broader Agora Tem Especialistas programme launched this year, which seeks to cut waiting times for elective surgery, diagnostic tests and other complex procedures. Minister Padilha said the investment will help the Rede Sarah increase the number of surgeries and specialist consultations, while maintaining integrated rehabilitation services focused on neurology, orthopaedics and physiotherapy.
The ministry expects the network to deliver 1.7 million exams and therapy sessions and 515,400 consultations in 2026. Rede Sarah’s hospitals, which operate in seven states and the Federal District, reported treating some 2.1 million people overall. The contract is intended to guarantee free, high-quality care at units in Pará, Minas Gerais, Ceará, Amapá, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Maranhão and the Federal District.
Recognised nationally and internationally for high-complexity rehabilitation, Rede Sarah has worked with the SUS for 25 years. The federal government has invested more than R$11.8 billion in the partnership to date. In 2025 the network provided services to the SUS that included more than 512,000 consultations, 3.6 million rehabilitation procedures and actions by higher-level professionals, 1.6 million auxiliary diagnostic and therapy services, 22,900 hospital admissions and 20,700 surgical procedures.
Minister Padilha visited Rede Sarah’s main Brasília unit to finalise the agreement. He highlighted the contract’s role in supporting integrated care for patients requiring rehabilitation, especially those with neurological and orthopaedic needs. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services also participated in finalising the terms. The contract takes effect immediately.
The renewal also includes commitments to improve service quality and develop research initiatives. Officials said the funding will contribute to training, equipment upgrades and expanded capacity for complex procedures across the network.
Padilha used the visit to review progress under Agora Tem Especialistas, reporting that 2025 will close with record levels of medical procedures across the SUS. He said the system is on track to exceed 14.2 million surgeries in 2025, and that more than 4 million diagnostic tests have been completed. The ministry also recorded a peak in chemotherapy sessions delivered through public services this year.
The ministry set a goal for 2026 to ensure every Brazilian state has an up-to-date radiotherapy centre for cancer treatment. Equipment for the final state, Roraima, has already been delivered, officials added. The Rede Sarah contract renewal is expected to complement these national efforts by strengthening rehabilitation pathways and reducing bottlenecks in specialised care.
Healthcare experts welcomed the move as a strategic reinforcement of Brazil’s public rehabilitation capacity, noting the combination of increased funding and national programmes could shorten waiting lists and broaden access to high-complexity care for SUS users.
Key Takeaways:
- Brazil healthcare investment secures a five-year R$7.5 billion management contract with Rede Sarah to expand specialised care.
- The funds will support neurology, orthopaedics, physiotherapy and more, serving an estimated 2.1 million people.
- For 2026 the plan includes 1.7 million exams and therapies and 515,400 consultations under the SUS.
- The renewal complements the Agora Tem Especialistas programme and follows record surgical and diagnostic activity in 2025.
