Abstract

CHAVEZ G, Blanca M  and  VELASQUEZ L, Luis E. Analysis of the local authorities: National Health Survey 2007, Colombia 2011. Rev. Fac. Nac. Salud Pública [online]. 2012, vol.30, n.1, pp.57-65. ISSN 0120-386X.

OBJECTIVE: this paper presents the results of the 2007 National Health Survey's (ENS) module I, which deals with territorial management of health regarding the capacity to manage health in the municipalities and to characterize their sanitary infrastructure and public health surveillance. METHODOLOGY: a descriptive retrospective study was conducted with a representative sample of 238 Colombian municipalities from all the categories, 223 of which answered the call. The source of information was the ENS/2007, which was applied to the health secretaries of the sample's municipalities. RESULTS: more public and private health providers and health insurance companies are available in the municipalities belonging to the special category and to category 1. The sanitary infrastructure is insufficient but larger in the municipalities from the special category, particularly in the urban area. Public health surveillance for maternal and perinatal mortality, and for add and ari is higher in the municipalities from the special category and from category 1. CONCLUSIONS: in spite of the efforts of the municipalities to improve health, the results show important inequalities between the rural and urban areas, and between the municipalities from the special category and the municipalities from other categories. This situation calls for larger investments for the sanitary infrastructure, the public health surveillance systems, and the programs of the less developed municipalities in order to prevent inequalities from becoming progressive and to obtain better profits in terms of the people's health.

Keywords : municipal administration; public and private offers; sanitary infrastructure; public health surveillance.

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