ABSTRACT
The 2019 oil disaster-crime is considered the largest disaster on the Brazilian coast. Given the frontline in disaster response, the municipal health secretariat is crucial in the disaster risk management process. This study aimed to analyze the performance of a municipal health secretariat in the metropolitan region of Recife, Pernambuco, regarding the 2019 oil spill, adopting a descriptive, qualitative case study. We performed content Analysis with the IRaMuTeQ software on interviews with health managers, and the results revealed four categories: municipal management in marine care; disaster risk governance and its absence; the COVID-19 syndemic and its impacts on the rehabilitation and recovery of oil disaster-affected communities; what to do if a disaster strikes again. In the municipality under study, we noted early organization of response actions, the lack of governance in the disaster-crime, and health management focus on COVID-19 syndemic, which were identified as difficulties and vulnerabilities in their actions, while continuing education and coordination with fishermen and shellfish gatherers were among the lessons learned.
KEYWORDS
Disaster management; Disaster planning; Oil spill; Health surveillance; Vulnerability to disasters.