The World Bank Board of Directors has approved a new operation to expand access to quality health, education, and social assistance services in Salvador, a major municipality in Brazil’s northeastern State of Bahia. The Salvador Social III Program is expected to directly benefit 1.7 million residents relying on the public health system, 104,000 students in municipal schools, and 1.1 million individuals registered in the Cadastro Único, the social registry for poor and vulnerable populations.
The program aims to strengthen integrated service delivery across health, education, and social assistance sectors, supporting a more inclusive and productive workforce. By coordinating services, the initiative seeks to improve accessibility, efficiency, and quality for Salvador’s population, particularly targeting the city’s most vulnerable residents.
Salvador’s mayor, Bruno Reis, highlighted that the program marks the third phase of Salvador Social, the city’s largest social investment initiative. Over its first two phases, more than US$250 million was invested in social assistance, education, and health. With World Bank support, the program will deepen these advances by improving service quality, expanding innovation, and reinforcing care for the most at-risk populations.
Cécile Fruman, World Bank Country Director for Brazil, emphasized that the project will enhance critical areas of daily life, including healthcare, schools, and social assistance. By investing in integrated service delivery and modern digital systems, Salvador is strengthening human capital and creating opportunities for skilled jobs within the social sector.
The US$120 million World Bank investment, part of a broader US$1.8 billion municipal initiative, will expand access to specialized health services, particularly for non-communicable diseases, and improve foundational literacy and teacher training in schools. The program also aims to modernize social assistance through more digitalized and integrated systems, enhancing service quality, reducing waiting times, and fostering inclusion for vulnerable groups. Additionally, it will build workforce skills across health, education, and social protection, while expanding opportunities in digital systems, data management, monitoring, and case management.
