This work aimed to analyze the coverage of the Program of Environmental Surveillance in Health in the city of Olinda, Pernambuco State and the factors that interfered in not achieving the number of properties established by the National Program of Dengue's Control to be visited by the environmental surveillance agents, among them the number of absences and the number of properties worked daily. For the accomplishment of the study, a database was prepared with a list of agents that worked in the year of 2006, considering the number of absences, medical licenses, vacations and the number of worked properties. The results showed that the number of properties worked by the agents per day had a larger influence in the low income presented in the year of 2006 when compared to the number of their absences. The high number of closed properties and refusals, lack of materials, constant training courses and agent demands for other health actions were some factors that contributed to the low productivity of the agents. Therefore, it is necessary a change in the work process of the environmental surveillance agents, as well as a more discerning and constant evaluation of their activities so that it is possible to reach the established goals.
Public health; Environmental health; Environmental surveillance; Health personnel
