Resumo

RINCON BECERRA, María T  e  RODRIGUEZ COLMENARES, Isabel. Barrio Adentro and Alma Ata. Revista de Ciencias Sociales [online]. 2010, vol.16, n.3, pp.515-525. ISSN 1315-9518.

The national government advances an innovative and alternative health care strategy for the population excluded from the National Public Health System in Venezuela. The objective of this study is to describe the activities of the Barrio Adentro program, which, on its first level of attention, fulfills the principles proposed in the Declaration of Alma Ata. The research is descriptive and documentary. Results recognize that the principles contemplated in the above-mentioned declaration are fomented in Barrio Adentro through the development of: a) the contents and elements of primary health care, which are formally fulfilled in the promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services; b) intersectoriality and multisectoriality; c) auto- responsibility; d) co-management. Conclusions are that Barrio Adentro, as a health care strategy, has demonstrated effort in fulfilling the Declaration of Alma Ata based on primary health care to combat exclusion and give the poor the possibility of improving their living conditions.

Palavras-chave : Social strategy; Alma Ata; primary health care; Barrio Adentro.