Sergio arouca, institution builder and democratic innovator

Abstract

The article discusses the trajectory of Sergio Arouca (1941-2003), observing his performance as a public health activist via and within institutions. The analysis of episodes reveals a fertile combination between Arouca’s surprising ability to think in a non-standard way, his charisma, and the presence of people who shared the same values. In some situations, this combination generated democratizing innovations. Examples include the Paulínia project in the 1970s, in which Arouca with his team invited the population to participate in the management of health services; the opening of the 8th National Health Conference to the participation of civil society; the installation of democratic management in the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) and the creation of the Participative Management Department of the Ministry of Health during the first Lula administration.