Partnership between the academy and public and private health systems to fight the COVID-19: an experience report in Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Abstract

This article presents a report on the integration experience of health stakeholders, including public and private health systems, a university and authorities for the surveillance and control of the COVID-19 epidemic, in the municipality of Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The city has a large flow of people from different parts of the country, and was one of the first municipalities in the state of Santa Catarina to report cases of community transmission by SARS-CoV-2. The measures adopted included the implementation of the COVID-19 Monitoring Committee, the Health Center for Municipal Emergency Operations, and the Disease Contingency Plan. After 100 days of pandemic, 5,979 cases were reported, 431 (7.2%) confirmed, of which five (1.2%) died. Early decisions, such as the immediate suspension of business activities and crowding events, have reduced the spread of the virus. The established partnership provided innovation and subsidized public management in decision-making based upon scientific evidence.