Municipal Health Secretariat Research Articles

A Methodological Approach to Measuring the Impact of TAK-003 for the Prevention of Dengue in Dourados, Brazil: Optimizing Strategies for Public Health

Background/Objectives: Takeda’s tetravalent dengue vaccine TAK-003 has been approved by the Brazilian regulatory agency ANVISA for dengue disease prevention in individuals aged 4 to 60 years. Dourados, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, became the world’s first city to implement a mass vaccination campaign targeting approximately 120,000 individuals. An ongoing collaborative, observational, population-based study using national surveillance and vaccination data was planned to measure the impact of the vaccine on the reduction in dengue incidence. Methods: In this manuscript, the study’s methodology, including its programmatic steps and public health relevance, is described. A collaborative assessment with multidisciplinary researchers in Brazil was conducted to identify key programmatic areas for the successful implementation of the study. These areas included feasibility and site selection assessment, methodology selection, vaccination program implementation, and public health importance. Results/Conclusions: Identification of the public health problem and understanding the disease burden, local healthcare infrastructure, and strategic partnerships were critical for a robust feasibility assessment. One of the feasibility criteria identified was the ability of the Dourados Municipal Health Secretary and the principal investigator to conduct an active vaccination campaign, utilizing extramural activities and diverse communication channels to increase vaccine acceptance and coverage. The selection of analytical methods, such as time series analysis, was dependent on the national and local structures of the databases and data availability.

Professional Doctorate in Primary Care (DPAPS): a legacy for the Rio de Janeiro SUS.

Since 2009, the Municipal Health Secretariat of Rio de Janeiro (SMS-RJ) has encouraged the creation of a Master's degree in primary health care at the National Health School/Fiocruz (ENSP/Fiocruz). In the following decade, this proposal became one of the main lines of the institution's professional stricto sensu postgraduate program, which culminated in CAPES approving the first professional doctorate class in the history of Fiocruz-RJ offered in 2024. The class comprises primary health care (PHC) students from Rio's SUS and Fiocruz employees in science, technology and innovation. Regarding the profile of the PHC students, the highlights were women (61.5%), a degree in medicine (53.8%), a mean of 15 years since graduating, 10 years working in PHC, graduates of a medical or multiprofessional residency course (69.2%) and a Master's degree in primary care from ENSP/Fiocruz or UFRJ (84.6%). The SMS-RJ thus leaves a legacy for Brazilian Public Health as a leader in the promotion of Fiocruz-RJ stricto sensu professional training programs, innovating in the end-of-course work, reviving the presence of doctors in the classes and bringing the contributions of the Portuguese SNS, a source of inspiration for the PHC reform undertaken in Rio de Janeiro, to the Rio de Janeiro SUS debate.

Atuação de uma secretaria municipal de saúde diante do desastre-crime do petróleo em Pernambuco

ABSTRACT The 2019 oil disaster-crime is considered the largest disaster on the Brazilian coast. Given the frontline in disaster response, the municipal health secretariat is crucial in the disaster risk management process. This study aimed to analyze the performance of a municipal health secretariat in the metropolitan region of Recife, Pernambuco, regarding the 2019 oil spill, adopting a descriptive, qualitative case study. We performed content Analysis with the IRaMuTeQ software on interviews with health managers, and the results revealed four categories: municipal management in marine care; disaster risk governance and its absence; the COVID-19 syndemic and its impacts on the rehabilitation and recovery of oil disaster-affected communities; what to do if a disaster strikes again. In the municipality under study, we noted early organization of response actions, the lack of governance in the disaster-crime, and health management focus on COVID-19 syndemic, which were identified as difficulties and vulnerabilities in their actions, while continuing education and coordination with fishermen and shellfish gatherers were among the lessons learned.

Performance of a municipal health secretariat in the face of the oil disastercrime in Pernambuco

RESUMO O desastre-crime do petróleo em 2019 é tido como o maior desastre ocorrido no litoral do Brasil. Considerada a primeira linha de enfrentamento de desastres no território, a gestão municipal de saúde é fundamental no processo de gestão de risco de desastre. Objetivou-se analisar a atuação de uma secretaria municipal de saúde da região metropolitana do Recife, Pernambuco, em relação ao derramamento do petróleo ocorrido em 2019. Foi realizado um estudo de caso do tipo descritivo com abordagem qualitativa. Foi realizada Análise de Conteúdo, com utilização do software IRaMuTeQ, das entrevistas com gestores da saúde, cujos resultados revelaram quatro categorias: gestão municipal na atenção com o mar; governança de risco de desastre e suas ausências; sindemia da covid-19 e impactos na reabilitação e recuperação das comunidades afetadas pelo desastre do petróleo; o que fazer se um desastre voltar a acontecer. No município em análise, houve a organização antecipada das ações de enfrentamento, a ausência da governança no desastre-crime e o enfoque da gestão em saúde na sindemia da covid-19, que foram apontados como dificuldades e vulnerabilidades na atuação, enquanto a educação permanente e a articulação com pescadores(as) e marisqueiras foram algumas das lições aprendidas.

Assessing the risks for stillbirth in São Paulo, Brazil: protocol for a multidisciplinary case–control study – FetRisks

Stillbirth is a fundamental component of childhood mortality, but its causes are still insufficiently understood. This study aims to explore stillbirth risk factors by using a multidisciplinary approach to stimulate...

Situational analysis of hypertension management at primary health care level in São Paulo, Brazil: population, healthcare professional and health system perspectives

BackgroundGovernment-led, population-wide initiatives are crucial for advancing the management of hypertension − a leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. An urban population health initiative was conducted against this backdrop, focussing on hypertension in the primary health system in São Paulo, Brazil. Within the frame of the initiative and under the supervision and leadership of the municipal health authorities, a situational analysis was conducted on the needs in hypertension management, marking the first phase of a Design Thinking process. This article describes the situational analysis process and presents the identified elements to be strengthened considering hypertension diagnosis, treatment and control.MethodsFirst, a mixed-methods approach was used, starting with a literature review of municipal hypertension data followed by meetings (N = 20) with the local public health administration to assess health system level components. To investigate activities on hypertension diagnosis, treatment and control, nine primary healthcare units were selected from two districts of São Paulo city– Itaquera and Penha– which received an online form addressed to managers, participated in conversation circles of staff and patients, and underwent shadowing of community health agents.ResultsData gave rise to two main outputs: (i) a patient care journey map; and (ii) a matrix summarizing the identified needs at patient, healthcare professional and health system level for diagnosis, treatment and control of hypertension. Patient awareness and knowledge of hypertension was found to be insufficient and its management needs to be improved. For health professionals, disease awareness, technical training, more time dedicated to patients, and simplified guidelines and clinical decision-making tools for hypertension management were identified as principal needs. The situational analysis found that the healthcare systems efficiency might be improved by establishing defined treatment and care delivery goals with a focus on outcomes and implemented through action plans.ConclusionsThis situational analysis identified several needs related to hypertension control in São Paulo that are in line with global challenges to improve the control of CVD risk factors. Findings were also confirmed locally in an expansion phase of this situational analysis to additional primary care facilities. As a consequence, solutions were designed, promptly taken up and implemented by the municipal health secretariat.

Operational effectiveness of tafenoquine and primaquine for the prevention of Plasmodium vivax recurrence in Brazil: a retrospective observational study

Prevention of Plasmodium vivax malaria recurrence is essential for malaria elimination in Brazil. We evaluated the real-world effectiveness of an updated treatment algorithm for P vivax radical cure in the Brazilian Amazon. In this non-interventional observational study, we used retrospective data from the implementation of a P vivax treatment algorithm at 43 health facilities in Manaus and Porto Velho, Brazil. The treatment algorithm consisted of chloroquine (25 mg/kg over 3 days) and point-of-care quantitative glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) testing followed by single-dose tafenoquine 300 mg (G6PD normal, aged ≥16 years, not pregnant and not breastfeeding), 7-day primaquine 0·5 mg/kg per day (G6PD intermediate or normal, aged ≥6 months, not pregnant, and not breastfeeding or breastfeeding for >1 month), or primaquine 0·75 mg/kg per week for 8 weeks (G6PD deficient, aged ≥6 months, not pregnant, and not breastfeeding or breastfeeding for >1 month). P vivax recurrences were identified from probabilistic linkage of routine patient records from the Brazilian malaria epidemiological surveillance system. Recurrence-free effectiveness at day 90 and day 180 was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and hazard ratios (HRs) by multivariate analysis. This clinical trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05096702, and is completed. Records from Sept 9, 2021, to Aug 31, 2022, included 5554 patients with P vivax malaria. In all treated patients of any age and any G6PD status, recurrence-free effectiveness at day 180 was 75·8% (95% CI 74·0-77·6) with tafenoquine, 73·4% (71·9-75·0) with 7-day primaquine, and 82·1% (77·7-86·8) with weekly primaquine. In patients aged at least 16 years who were G6PD normal, recurrence-free effectiveness until day 90 was 88·6% (95% CI 87·2-89·9) in those who were treated with tafenoquine (n=2134) and 83·5% (79·8-87·4) in those treated with 7-day primaquine (n=370); after adjustment for confounding factors, the HR for recurrence following tafenoquine versus 7-day primaquine was 0·65 (95% CI 0·49-0·86; p=0·0031), with similar outcomes between the two treatments at day 180 (log-rank p=0·82). Over 180 days, median time to recurrence in patients aged at least 16 years who were G6PD normal was 92 days (IQR 76-120) in those treated with tafenoquine and 68 days (52-94) in those treated with 7-day primaquine. In this real-world setting, single-dose tafenoquine was more effective at preventing P vivax recurrence in patients aged at least 16 years who were G6PD normal compared with 7-day primaquine at day 90, while overall efficacy at 180 days was similar. The public health benefits of the P vivax radical cure treatment algorithm incorporating G6PD quantitative testing and tafenoquine support its implementation in Brazil and potentially across South America. Brazilian Ministry of Health, Municipal and State Health Secretariats; Fiocruz; Medicines for Malaria Venture; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Newcrest Mining; and the UK Government. For the Portuguese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Doutorado Profissional em Atenção Primária em Saúde (DPAPS): o início de um legado para o SUS carioca

Abstract Since 2009, the Municipal Health Secretariat of Rio de Janeiro (SMS-RJ) has encouraged the creation of a Master’s degree in primary health care at the National Health School/Fiocruz (ENSP/Fiocruz). In the following decade, this proposal became one of the main lines of the institution’s professional stricto sensu postgraduate program, which culminated in CAPES approving the first professional doctorate class in the history of Fiocruz-RJ offered in 2024. The class comprises primary health care (PHC) students from Rio’s SUS and Fiocruz employees in science, technology and innovation. Regarding the profile of the PHC students, the highlights were women (61.5%), a degree in medicine (53.8%), a mean of 15 years since graduating, 10 years working in PHC, graduates of a medical or multiprofessional residency course (69.2%) and a Master’s degree in primary care from ENSP/Fiocruz or UFRJ (84.6%). The SMS-RJ thus leaves a legacy for Brazilian Public Health as a leader in the promotion of Fiocruz-RJ stricto sensu professional training programs, innovating in the end-of-course work, reviving the presence of doctors in the classes and bringing the contributions of the Portuguese SNS, a source of inspiration for the PHC reform undertaken in Rio de Janeiro, to the Rio de Janeiro SUS debate.

Ações de educação permanente em saúde em tempos de pandemia: prioridades nos planos estaduais e nacional de contingência

Abstract Objective: to assess permanent health education actions regarding the national and state contingency plans to face the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Method: documentary research, using 54 plans in the initial and final versions, published between January 2020 and May 2021. The content analysis included the identification and systematization of proposals aimed at training and reorganizing the work process, as well as physical and mental health care of health workers. Results: the actions were focused on training workers with an emphasis on flu syndrome, infection risk control measures and knowledge about biosafety. Few plans addressed the teams’ working hours and work process, promotion and assistance to the workers’ mental health, mainly in the hospital environment. Conclusion: the superficiality regarding the approach to permanent education actions in contingency plans need to include actions in the strategic agenda of the Ministry of Health and State and Municipal Health Secretariats, with the qualification of workers to face this and other epidemics. They propose the adoption of health protection and promotion measures in daily health work management within the scope of the SUS.

Effects of a Physical Exercise Program on the Physical Capacities of Older Adults: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

To measure the effects of an exercise program on the physical capacities of older adults such as strength, flexibility, balance, and aerobic capacity. This was a quasi-experimental study on a population of 5550 older adults and a sample of 4830 participants in an active aging program designed by the Municipal Health Secretary. The exercise program lasted 12 months, and pre-and post-program intervention measures were recorded using the senior fitness test. Most participants were women (92.4%) and their mean age was 70.7 years (standard deviation, 7.3 years; range, 60-97 years). All areas showed significant differences before and after the program in terms of the participants' physical capabilities (p < 0.05), muscular strength and flexibility had a more significant mean difference and a large effect (>0.80), except for aerobic capacity, which had a small effect. The present study revealed that a supervised physical exercise program at the community level has positive effects on the physical capacities of coordination, balance, flexibility, strength, and aerobic capacity, which are essential components for a better functional capacity at this stage of life, with improvements that encompassed the improved self-perception of their health status, a reduction of overweight and obesity. The reinforcement of these programs is recommended, consequently, promoting pre-sport games and sports championships among the elderly population, as a public health strategy.

Os Conselhos de Secretarias Municipais de Saúde e a Política Nacional de Controle do Tabaco: uma aproximação necessária

Abstract Tobacco-related diseases burden the entire public health system, at the three levels of governance: municipal, state and federal. The insertion of the theme of tobacco control in state and municipal Health Secretariats is historic, being present since the initial debates on the health, social, economic and environmental damage that smoking causes to the Brazilian population as a cycle of diseases, poverty and deaths precocious. This article aims to present the importance of articulating the National Tobacco Control Policy with the Councils of Municipal Health Secretariats, given the role that these instances play in the Unified Health System and the contributions that they can add to the Tobacco Control Policy in Brazil, with its constant challenges to advance in the reduction of deaths and illnesses caused by tobacco products.

The Councils of Municipal Health Secretariats and the National Tobacco Control Policy: a necessary approach

Resumo As doenças relacionadas ao tabaco sobrecarregam todo o sistema público de saúde, nos três níveis de governança: municipal, estadual e federal. A inserção do tema do controle de tabaco nas Secretarias de Saúde estaduais e municipais é histórica, estando presente desde os debates iniciais sobre os danos sanitários, sociais, econômicos e ambientais que o tabagismo gera à população brasileira como um ciclo de doenças, pobreza e mortes precoces. Este artigo tem como proposta apresentar a importância da articulação da Política Nacional de Controle do Tabaco com os Conselhos de Secretarias Municipais de Saúde, dado o papel que essas instâncias desempenham no Sistema Único de Saúde e as contribuições que poderão somar à Política de Controle de Tabaco no Brasil, com seus constantes desafios para avançar na redução de mortes e adoecimentos causados pelos produtos de tabaco.

Mapping Dengue in children in a Colombian Caribbean Region: clinical and epidemiological analysis of more than 3500 cases.

Dengue continues to be a global public health problem due to its impact in terms of morbidity and mortality and economic burden on health systems, with severe effects mainly on children. Among the objectives of sustainable development is the control of infectious diseases; therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of existing programs on the prevention and management of infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to analyze the epidemiological, clinical, and geospatial behavior of dengue in children in a region of the Colombian Caribbean. A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out. The data provided by the Municipal Health Secretariat were taken and the cases of dengue and severe dengue in children aged 0 to 17 years reported in Sincelejo, Colombia, were extracted. The sociodemographic and clinical characteristics presented were analyzed and descriptive statistics were performed with tables and graphs of frequency and accumulated percentages. To locate the areas with the highest incidence of cases during the year, a geospatial location of the cases was carried out with the QGIS v.3.8 program. In 2019, there were 3611 cases of dengue fever in children aged 0 to 17 years. There were 1394 (38.6%) cases with warning signs, and 41 (1.1%) cases of severe dengue fever. Cases of severe dengue fever occurred more frequently in women. The incidence rate found was 3927 and 45.1 cases per 100,000 population, for dengue and severe dengue in children, respectively. The age ranges with the highest number of cases were children aged 4 to 9 years with 1778 cases. The clinical presentation was varied, with the most frequent symptoms, in all groups, being fever in 100% of cases, myalgias ≥71%, and arthralgias ≥64%. Only 9% (n=315) of the cases, corresponded to cases in the rural area. A very high incidence of cases of dengue and dengue with alarm signs in children was evidenced in the Colombian Caribbean region, mainly in the urban area, despite the existence of public health programs and strategies to control the burden of diseases transmitted by arbovirus vectors.

Análise de experiência da Ouvidoria SUS Bahia

ABSTRACT The article reports the experience of the SUS/Bahia Ombudsman office from its implementation until mid-2021 through the analysis of the developed work. It also describes the role played by the Ombudsman in the struggle to guarantee the right to health, demonstrating its advances and challenges in the State of Bahia, as an ombudsman of the Unified Health System. It is structured in three phases, which intend to describe its performance in a clear and objective way. Its specificity is highlighted as a public health agency supported by the SUS legislation, envisioning decentralization throughout the State of Bahia, with the objective of expanding citizen participation and, consequently, access to their right to healthcare. The first phase discusses the implementation and formation of the SUS Bahia Ombudsman Offices Network and its articulation with the State General Ombudsman’s Office. The second focuses on structuring the service and expanding the Network. The third describes the qualification of SUS ombudsmen with emphasis on the service decentralization through the implementation in the Municipal Health Secretariats in the State of Bahia.

Abrangência do Programa Saúde na Escola em Vitória de Santo Antão-PE

ABSTRACT The research aimed to describe, through an evaluation study in 2016, the scope of the School Health Program (PSE) in the municipality of Vitória de Santo Antão State of Pernambuco in the Northeast region of Brasil. Data were collected between October 2016 and February 2017 using documental source from the Municipal Health and Education secretaries and the Regional Education Management. The municipality had 52 registered schools and 26 carried out some activity related to the program. The actions encompassed component I activities such as ‘Anthropometric assessment’, ‘Verification of vaccination status’, ‘Oral health promotion and assessment’, for example. The themes of component II were also verified such as ‘Promotion of body practices and physical activity’, ‘Food safety and healthy eating actions’, ‘Promotion of Environmental Health and sustainable development’, with focus on arboviruses. The number of actions in the urban area was higher when compared to the rural area. A good number of registered schools contrasting with the low activation (implementation) of the PSE, or even a ‘very bad’ reach of students, permeated the survey answers, enabling the solidification of subsidies of essential questions to new interventions in this research field and providing other knowledges about the program to the general public.

As Ouvidorias do SUS e a Rede Brasileira de Escolas de Saúde Pública: uma experiência inédita

ABSTRACT This experience report aimed to analyze the vocational education of ombudsmen in the Unified Health System (SUS). This project was a partnership between the Sergio Arouca National School of Public Health (ENSP/FIOCRUZ), the Brazilian Network of Public Health Schools (RedEscola), and the SUS Strategic and Participatory Management Secretary (SGEP/MS). Considered pioneering, the vocational education was developed within the logic of a participatory process which involved municipal, state and national actors from SUS Ombudsman offices, state public health institutions/schools, the National Council of Municipal Health Secretaries (CONASEMS), and the RedEscola’s Technical and Executive Secretary in a consensual governance articulation resulting in the qualification of 451 ombudsmen.

Community dog program in five municipalities of Paraná, Brazil

It is necessary to advance the study of stray dog population management strategies because of the vulnerable situation in which stray dogs live which may pose risks to humans, animals, and the environment. The objective of this study was to describe the implementation of the Community Dog Program in 5 municipalities in the state of Paraná, listing its main characteristics and the most common challenges encountered. The study was carried out from July to November 2016 in the municipalities of Araucária, Lapa, Pinhais, Piraquara, and Ponta Grossa through their Municipal Health and Environment Secretariats. The Community Dog Program was implemented when the register included 20 dogs per municipality, and it was considered that the secretariats were able to continue the program autonomously. The methodology was based on the pioneer municipalities in the state, Araucária, and Campo Largo, regarding the registration of community dogs. The program was implemented in 5 phases: initial planning, screening of animals, registration of dogs and caretakers, veterinary procedures with animals included in the program, and a final meeting with all involved. The method initially proposed a review required by the field. For example, in the municipality of Piraquara, most dogs (75%, 15/20) did not have a fixed shelter, but met the other criteria. Inadequate handling by the caretakers regarding the supply of food and water to the dogs, the limited structure and human resources of the secretariats to carry out these actions, and the behavior of chasing the dogs were the main challenges of implantation. As for the chasing of moving objects by animals, there was a greater tendency for dogs to exhibit such behavior as adults, with time spent in the place of 1 to 5 years and in front of homes. The methodology used in the 5 municipalities proved to be applicable for the implementation of the Community Dog Program, as it allowed a list of relevant characteristics for population management and the most common challenges. The experience of implementing the program in 5 municipalities has the potential to support the construction of a guiding protocol to facilitate its implementation in other municipalities.

Perfil dos secretários municipais de Saúde do Brasil: um panorama de três décadas

Abstract Municipal health secretaries are strategic actors in the construction of the Brazilian national health system - SUS, actively participating in the system’s governance. The comparative analysis of the profile of municipal secretaries over three decades (1996, 2006, and 2017) was carried out using the database of three cross-sectional surveys carried out at the national level with structured questionnaires aimed at all municipal health secretaries in the country. The increase in female participation, greater diversity in ethnic and racial terms, greater professional qualification of managers, and the renewal of the generational profile, reiterates the advance of the democratization of these management spaces. Despite the renewal of the profile during SUS’s construction, the challenge remains to make the public machine more representative of Brazilian society as a whole.

A cross-sectional study of the socio-demographic and epidemiological factors associated with childhood cancer in Cali, Colombia

This study investigates the occurrence of childhood cancer between the years 2015 and 2016 in the city of Cali, Colombia, with respect to: a) sociodemographic characteristics, b) type of cancer, c) epidemiological weeks of cancer and d) comparative survival according to health system affiliation by consolidating the records notified to the municipal health secretariat. Statistically significant differences were found between the groups analysed in relation to the variables related to the type of cancer (p = 0.006). With respect to the proportion of cancer mortality between the years 2015–2016 there was no significant change, even though survival increased in the year 2016. The implications for collective health and public policies in Latin America are discussed.

Inter-professional relationships in the Family Health Strategy: perception of health management.

to analyze the teamwork in the Family Health Strategy from the perspective of professionals from the Primary Care Department and the municipal manager/secretary of health of a Municipal Health Secretariat. an exploratory/qualitative study. All professionals of the Department and municipal manager/municipal health secretary/interior of Minas Gerais participated. Data collection was through semi-structured interviews/May to November/2019. Data analysis: Content analysis/thematic mode and work process theoretical referential. three categories emerged: Inter-professional relations permeated by non-material instruments of work; Professional training, experience, and profile influence teamwork; and Proposals for the realization of teamwork in the Family Health Strategy. Results revealed assumptions for teamwork in the referred Strategy, facilitators/difficulties/strategies for its realization, according to the professionals. Final Considerations: collaboration/communication/proactivity to facilitate teamwork. Need for approximation between municipal management and Family Health Strategy to achieve teamwork.