Sistema de vigilância epidemiológica na fronteira do Amapá e Guiana Francesa: uma proposta de sistematização da informação em saúde

Abstract

In the last three decades, the rise of emergent and re-emergent diseases of high epidemic potential reverberated in part of the globalization phenomenon, what has provided the increase of world relations and flexibility to the barriers in the borders. The global health in search for sanity security made the international community redefine the norms of the International Health Regulation (IHR), seeking improvement of the countries’ health surveillance services. Thus, this technical report aimed to analyze the Epidemiological Surveillance System (ES), which is existing on the border between Amapá and French Guiana, in the twin cities of Oiapoque (BRA) and Saint Georges (FR). The methodology comprises a bibliographical and documental research concerning to IHR end policies of ES implemented in Brazil and in France. After this stage, it was conducted a situational survey concerning social sanitary conditions, focusing on describing the occurrence of diseases and injuries whose notification is compulsory in each country. It was used the secondary database from Brazil (SINAN, SIVEP malaria, SIVEP influenza) and bulletins, reports, and official websites from French Guiana. As research instruments for the field research, it was gathered data through the application of bilingual questionnaires and interviews with managers and technicians from both countries, who could also share information about their understanding regarding the health cooperation and the exchange of epidemiological information. Results: it was possible to perceive that there are legal instruments and well-defined competences regarding ES activities in both countries, which are described in the legislation, in order to meet the recommendations of RSI (2015). However, in a local scale of implementation of such services, more pronounced fragilities were evidenced in the structuring and operational capacities of the ES, specifically on the Brazilian side. The language barrier, staff turnover and the absence of official protocols for the exchange of health information between territories were mentioned by the interlocutors, as one of the factors that prevent better monitoring of diseases and conditions at the border. From an epidemiological point of view, it was found that this border area is not uniform, as well as, not all diseases that affect both territories are of common compulsory notification. This way, as an academic contribution, it is presented a software called “Electronic EV Registration System at the Border” (EEVRS), which aims to strengthen epidemiological surveillance strategies in this border area of Amapá and French Guiana.