Abstract

CERQUEIRA, Erenilde Marques de; ASSIS, Marluce Maria Araújo; VILLA, Tereza Cristina Scatena  and  LEITE, Juliana Alves. Epidemiological Surveillance in the process of municipalization of the Health System in Feira de Santana-BA. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2003, vol.12, n.4, pp.213-223. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742003000400005.

The present study is a qualitative research of the exploratory type with an objective to analyze the epidemiological surveillance at the local health care provider in Feira de Santana, Bahia State, during the process of municipalization of the health system. The empirical data have been collected through open interviews with key informants, and practical observations. The research professionals have been chosen intentionaly considering their experiences while social participant actors in the implementation of epidemiological surveillance in the city. The following were interviewed: epidemiological surveillance team; managers of the local health care provider; and nurses. The study shows that the process of municipalization of the health system in Feira de Santana was only increased in 1997 with the qualification of the Municipality in the Basic Care Full Management. In this context, the municipal manager accepts responsibility for the citizen´s health and the epidemiological surveillance actions are transferred from the state level to the local health system before, however, making the necessary investments in infrastructure. In conclusion, epidemiological surveillance is characterized as being fragmented, inarticulated and showing problems in its structure co-respecting the availability of materials, equipment, allocation and qualification of human resources, which makes the full development of action difficult.

Keywords : epidemiological surveillance; municipalization of Health; local health system.

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