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This paper is an excerpt of an ethnographic study conducted within a doctoral program in a Complementary and Integrative Practices referral unit located in Peruíbe-SP, Brazil. It presents an analysis of the implementation of a Municipal Policy on Complementary and Integrative Practices (MPCIP), including participant observation of meetings held with workers and managers, field diaries, documents from the Brazilian Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, legislation, and reports of those involved. The analysis was based on hermeneutic interpretation (GEERTZ, 1989), and the main challenges faced during the process are presented. Even though the format of the MPCIP in Peruíbe meets national and international requirements, it only warranted legal-institutional aspects. Despite advancements in policy development, there remain political and operational challenges to its implementation and expansion, which shall be overcome to fully implement Complementary and Integrative Practices in the city's health service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most policies, explicitly or implicitly, involve sharing responsibilities between different organizations, such as departments, government spheres, ministries, or private organizations. Thus, in recent decades, networks have become increasingly common in public policies. The Brazilian health system - given its size and geographic scope - is an example of complexity and sometimes fragmentation in policy implementation. In this context, the government adopts the concept of Healthcare Networks (RASs) in the operation of its health system. A characteristic that defines RASs is their regional character, since it is necessary to go beyond the municipal borders for the optimization of resources. This scenario of interregional relations becomes denser when the territory in question is configured in an urban superstructure, as is the case in metropolitan regions. Thus, this paper proposes the discussion of the case of Healthcare Networks in the Brazilian metropolitan regions and describes, in greater detail, the case of Campinas Metropolitan Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]