"The Invisibles": approaching the health of people who work and live on the streets.

Abstract

This research emphasizes the importance of carrying out a more in-depth study of the homeless population, including those who live and/or work on the streets, but also those who do not have access to comprehensive social protection or public policies designed specifically for them. The health of these people must be approached with a thorough analysis of the complex context in which they find themselves and the multiple factors to which they are exposed; this situation is characterized by their vulnerability to both preventable and communicable diseases, as they struggle day after day to subsist. Currently, public policies related to health care for homeless people do not exist. In fact, the Paraguayan State lacks specific policies in this regard. The sectoral policies implemented by local and municipal governments are insufficient to properly address the needs of this vulnerable population. It is essential for the governing body to promote the development of more effective policies, coordinated among social action-oriented agencies in order to guarantee health care for these excluded people in Paraguay.