AVALIAÇÃO DO PROGRAMA DE CONTROLE DA HANSENÍASE EM UM CENTRO DE REFERÊNCIA NO MARANHÃO

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the leprosy control program at a reference center for the disease in the State of Maranhão. Method: Descriptive-evaluative study, carried out at a reference center for leprosy in Maranhão, targeting the population of new cases diagnosed and reported between 2016 and 2020. Data was collected from the registry book and medical records, using the Ministry of Health's indicator parameters. Results: The indicator “proportion of new cases with physical disability grade assessed at diagnosis” was classified as “good” throughout the period. Regarding the “proportion of cured cases with grade 2 disability,” variation was observed from “high” (2016) to “low” (2017, 2019, and 2020). The “cure rate” ranged from “regular” (2016–2017) to “poor” (2018–2020), as did the indicator “proportion of cases cured in the year with physical disability grade assessed.” Treatment abandonment varied between “good” and “poor,” returning to “good” classification in 2020. The proportion of contacts examined remained poor throughout the historical series. Conclusion: The results reveal significant weaknesses in the program’s performance, with predominantly unsatisfactory classifications in operational indicators, compromising the quality of care, transmission control, and disability prevention.