Assessment of the implementation of the Leprosy Control Program in Camaragibe, Pernambuco State, Brazil^*

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE:

to assess the implementation of the actions of the Leprosy Control Program in Camaragibe, Pernambuco State, Brazil.

METHODS:

evaluative research with ‘implementation analysis’, based on criteria, indicators and parameters guided from the construction of the Logic Model; four components were assessed - management, health care, epidemiological surveillance, health education and communication -; direct observation/questionnaire was used, as well as data from the Information System for Notifiable Diseases.

RESULTS:

the implementation of the program was incipient (58.3%); the estimate for the components varied from ‘not implemented’ (health education and communication, 48.0%), ‘incipient’ (management, 53.3%; health care, 57.2%) to ‘partially implemented’ (epidemiological surveillance, 73.0%); in 2012, it was observed low proportion of examined contacts (28.4%), treatment dropout (34.1%), limited standardization of patient care flow, and poor resolution of problems by managers.

CONCLUSION:

the level of implementation found was related to the organization of services, with negative repercussions regarding the result indicators.

Keywords:
Health Evaluation; Leprosy; Communicable Disease Control; Program Evaluation; Primary Health Care