A situational analysis on human resources for sanitary surveillance in Salvador was conducted by asking the players involved to identify the main problems and their determinants within preestablished categories. This was a descriptive, exploratory case study with a methodological strategy based on situational strategic planning. The sources of evidence were individual and focus group interviews among sanitary surveillance managers and technical staff. The results indicated deficiencies in the numbers, multiprofessional nature and distribution of professionals; insufficient capacitation; lack of motivation; insufficient remuneration; failure to institutionalize the position, career and salary plan; low utilization of the technical staff's potential; and lack of definition for the ethical requisites for performing sanitary inspection functions. Better structuring of the sanitary surveillance service is recommended, together with establishing human resources policies that take into account the specific field characteristics and the need to consolidate the national sanitary surveillance system, with investments in human resources management.
Situational analysis; Human resources; Sanitary surveillance; Planning and management; Decentralization