REDES DE ATENÇÃO À SAÚDE E A EPIDEMIA DO ZIKA VÍRUS: Avaliação da gestão do cuidado materno e infantil no estado do Maranhão.

Abstract

With the emergence of zika virus (ZIKV) in Brazil in 2015, there has been an unexpected change in the pattern of microcephaly records in newborns, drawing attention from civil society and health authorities to the seriousness of the problem. After the increase in prevalence, the Ministry of Health considers the association between infection with the zika virus during pregnancy and the significant number of children born with microcephaly to be valid. The growing number of cases and the lack of understanding has created great concern among health authorities, the public and the scientific community. Faced with this epidemic, it is necessary to carry out research that evaluates the organization of actions for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of mothers and babies, as a priority, through the Unified Health System (SUS) based on the Health Care Networks (SAN) proposal, which has as main objective the promotion of a systematic integration of health actions and services. In this research we will analyze the narratives of managers of the State Department of Health of Maranhão on actions to control the epidemic and articulation of maternal and child care in the face of the diseases. The methodology of the research is within the framework of the participative evaluation of qualitative approach. The results point to the fragility of primary health care that interferes with the quality of prenatal care, meaning a serious problem for the reception and referral of pregnant women suspected or infected with zika virus. In the maternities appear in the narratives health regions, throughout the state there are only four maternity reference to meet this specific population. Until the Zika Virus epidemic the health of people with disabilities was a deprecated agenda in Maranhão, the narratives point to a strong centralization of rehabilitation in the state capital and other regions completely desist of professionals and equipment, or with services of poor quality, overburden the referral service.