Políticas públicas de saúde e o enfrentamento a pandemia da COVID-19 na região de saúde da Estrada de Ferro e em em Catalão (GO): análise comparativa entre os anos de 2019 à 2023

Abstract

This research presents the final results of the study titled “Public Health Policies and Addressing the COVID-19 Pandemic in Catalão (GO): A Comparative Analysis Between 2019 and 2022.” The study is justified by considering the analysis of geographic data on public health policies established before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Estrada de Ferro Health Region, in the state of Goiás, with the municipality of Catalão as the main object of study. The primary objective of this work is to understand how the State responded to the pandemic and whether the investiments in equipment, infrastructure and professional training made during the pandemic have been maintained in the healthcare units assisted at that time. The specific objectives propose to understand, from a geographical perspective, the concept of public policies and public health policies in Brazil, as well as the decentralization, structuring, and regionalization of the Unifield Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde – SUS), to analyze public health policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, and to examine the context of the pandemic in Brazil, includind the (dis)unified actions in health territories and public investiments from 2019 in tackling COVID-19 in the Estrada de Ferro Health Region and Catalão (GO). Methodologically, the study prioritized a qualitative approach, featuring bibliographic research. The results indicate that the lack od effective public directy imapcts structural disparities and the effectiveness of pandemic response and health crisis management. This is particularly evident in the construction or renovation of health units, the acquisition of supplies, and the hiring of professionals. Although public resources allocated by the Ministry of Health and the Unified Health System to combat the pandemic were higher compared to some previous years (2019-2022), the study the importance of continuing preventive actions and restructuring the healthcare system. This reinforces the need for public policies that ensure healthcare quality in the face of future emergencies.