Análise dos recursos financeiros destinados ao enfrentamento da Covid-19 no Sistema Único de Saúde em Minas Gerais

Abstract

Introduction/Problematization: In an unprecedented crisis situation, such as COVID-19, the sudden increase in acute health cases resulting from a previously unknown disease further aggravates the problems caused by the limited resources dedicated to the provision of public health services. The pandemic situation, which began in 2020, spread by an intensely contagious virus, in continuous mutation and with a significant fatality rate, brought to SUS health managers and professionals the challenge of planning the reorganization of the system in such a way as to avoid its complete collapse. Objective/proposal: This article aims to answer the following question: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, was the Unified Health System in the State of Minas Gerais able to increase the amount of financial resources in order to assist in the treatment of the diseases? The objective is to investigate the amount of financial resources allocated by the National Health Fund to combat COVID-19 in response to the increase in the number of cases and deaths from the disease. Methodological Procedures: This research is empirical in nature and used a quantitative approach. The analysis of the evolution of the number of cases and deaths was carried out. The data were also compared with deaths from SARS and with the number of general deaths recorded since 2009 and with other states. The financing data were divided into: total resources allocated by the FNS to the State and its municipalities, breakdown of resources by financing blocks and discrimination of resources allocated to COVID-19 care. Main Results: the period of highest incidence of the disease in terms of recorded deaths was in 2020 and 2021, the latter with the highest number of deaths recorded during the pandemic. Minas Gerais ranked 13th in terms of number of deaths and 15th in terms of number of deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. Regarding SUS funding, the increase in resources received by the FNS in Minas Gerais was greater in 2020. This increase occurred mainly for the cost block, of the resources transferred approximately 23% were specifically for combating COVID-19. Final Considerations/Conclusion: There was an increase in resources received by the FNS in Minas Gerais of 33% in 2020 and 11% in 2021, and of the total allocated to the states and municipalities, 23% were specifically for combating COVID-19. It is concluded that there was an increase in financial support by the FNS in Minas Gerais specifically for COVID-19 care in the two years of highest incidence of the disease in the state. Contributions of the Work: This article contributed to the integration of areas such as health and public finances through increased research in times of health crisis, in view of the need to support public managers in the allocation of financial resources.