Entre a ciência e a reza: estudo de caso sobre a incorporação das rezadeiras ao Programa de Saúde da Família no município de Maranguape-CE

Abstract

This dissertation was based on a case study about popular faith healing practices by rezadeiras in the municipality of Maranguape which were linked to the health public system in that municipality with the implementation of the Program "Soro Raízes e Rezas" for the reduction of infant mortality. Since 1998, this program has been implemented in this municipality located in the metropolitan region of Fortaleza, Ceará in the Northeast of Brazil. By analyzing the possibility of exchanging experiences and a dialogue between rezadeiras and institutional medicine, especially with the health professionals of the Family Health Program (PSF) who work in this municipality, a study was made about what health representations are being delineated from this contact between rezadeiras and health professionals involved in the program. We tried to investigate whether and how this "encounter" between the two medicine has produced a new frontier and new values that resulted in a re-configuration of the representations and health practices. In this manner, the object of this study is to contribute towards a reflection about the new relationships established between rezadeiras and physicians as well as the effects on the community assisted by the Program. This study also tries to raise the implications of this insertion process of rezadeiras for the public system which is disseminated as a modern model of public policy in health.