Interfaces between Vulnerabilities, Governance, Innovation and Capacity of Response to COVID-19 in Brazilian Northeast

Abstract

Worldwide, the COVID-19 has generated multiple challenges, requiring responses that can effectively make the sustained decline in disease growth levels, and thereby prevent the collapse of health systems. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the Northeast region of Brazil (NEB) has been building capacity to respond in an innovative and articulated way to the challenges of the pandemic in its territories. This is an essay, based on documentary research and secondary data, collected from state institutional sources and other Brazilian official bodies. The results allow us to conclude that in the NEB these responses are being conducted in an articulated way considering interfaces between social vulnerability, governance and innovation.

Social vulnerability indicators in pandemics focusing on COVID‐19: A systematic literature review

“…Due to variety of relevant social vulnerability indicators in the COVID‐19 pandemic and to make them easier to use, we have proposed a comprehensive categorization of them in this study (Table 2 ). Studying these indices in different contexts and estimating the social vulnerability of subpopulations may help the authorities and policy makers to optimize resources in disaster management of the COVID‐19 pandemic that is the most important global health, social, and economic challenge at this time (Coelho et al., 2020 ; De Souza et al., 2020 ; Pessoa et al., 2020 ).…”

“…According to the World Health Organization (WHO), from the beginning of the pandemic to January 21, 2022, there have been almost 340,543,962 confirmed cases and 5,570,163 deaths reported throughout the world. All countries particularly those with higher social vulnerability index are concerned about the high influence of the pandemic on their socially and economically vulnerable people (Bodrud‐Doza et al., 2020 ; OE, OA, Parajuli, Hingle, & Robinson, 2020; Pessoa et al., 2020 ). These groups have more difficulty accessing health care facilities as well as implementing preventive measures, such as lock‐down regulations‐problems that have led to an increase in vulnerability, a greater risk of infection and higher possibility of community disease transmission (Kavan, 2021 ; Kithiia et al., 2020 ; Pomazanov et al., 2021 ).…”

Desigualdade, situação geográfica e sentidos da ação na pandemia da COVID-19 no Brasil

“…Apesar das dificuldades das respostas governamentais à pandemia no Brasil, destaca-se o papel do Consórcio do Nordeste como um exemplo de coordenação e integração de ações em escala regional, fortalecendo a capacidade de atuação dos governos num contexto desigual e vulnerável. A criação do Comitê Científico de Combate ao Coronavírus reforçou decisões políticas baseadas na ciência, informação e avaliações dos riscos e vulnerabilidades, assim como a comunicação com a população 73 .…”

Na rota do retrocesso: as repercussões do autoritarismo nas Políticas Públicas

“…Esta postura pouco transparente e eminentemente gerencial -cartesiana, linear, reducionista -, a qual não concebeu um mínimo de sensibilidade no trato com um grave problema social, que impunha Políticas Públicas eficazes e efetivas, acabou por produzir uma triste estatística: quase 600 mil mortes no Brasil (dados de setembro de 2021), em face de complicações resultantes da covid-19. Fatores como transparência, inovação, resposta rápida às demandas do tecido societário, governança institucional (Pessoa;Clementino, 2020), entre outros, estão sendo exigidos pela sociedade como uma forma de promoção do controle social e da influência na tomada de decisão.…”