Brazil's response to public health emergencies in 2023: lessons for the international community.

Abstract

Objective: To describe the Brazilian experience of responding to public health emergencies in 2023, the organizational structure, and epidemiological characteristics.

Methods: Three emergencies (case studies) that occurred during the study year were analyzed according to the actions implemented during the response and the impacts on the population. The public health emergencies were summarized and analyzed through research on official documents and websites of the Ministry of Health and local health authorities.

Results: Case 1 - Emergency due to lack of assistance, considered by the Brazilian government to be a public health emergency of national importance, required an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the response due to the complexity of the actions. Case 2 - Emergency due to zoonoses (arboviruses and avian influenza) used the EOC response structure to develop activities aimed at stopping the emergence of arboviruses and preventing an avian influenza emergency in the country. Finally, case 3 - Emergencies due to disasters required local response structures and used the EOC to coordinate their actions with the federal government's support.

Conclusions: The Brazilian experience highlights the importance of intrasectoral and intersectoral coordination in managing response actions, constant monitoring and communication to improve response measures, national support for local response efforts, and adaptation of the EOC structure to the different contexts and complexities of the emergencies faced.