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Emergency in public health caused by floods: the Ministry of Health actions in occurrences in Brazil, from 2004 to 2017

ABSTRACT

The objective of this article is to contextualize the impacts of floods on health and to analyze reports from the Emergency Health Operations Center, mobilized by the Ministry of Health (MS), for the federal monitoring of these events in Brazil, between 2004 and 2017. For such, a bibliographical and documentary survey was carried out, including MS reports on floods and data analysis of the Integrated Disaster Information System, from the Civil Defense, from 2004 to 2017. It was verified that floods reached all Brazilian regions, with critical events in 2004, 2009, 2010, and 2011. The MS worked in nine occurrences and this experience subsidized the establishment of the preparedness and response strategy, including Health in Disaster Committees, documents, and regulations to guide the SUS’s (Unified Health System) action in hydrological disasters. Floods of great magnitude require rapid response and this does not require prior preparation. The MS has advanced in inter-sectorial and interinstitutional articulations, however, providing the municipal SUS with the necessary capacity for timely action is still a challenge to be overcome.

KEYWORDS
Natural disasters; Floods; Public health; Risk management; Environmental health

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