The initiative first assessed the pandemic response in the two northeastern cities, then assisted municipal governments in tackling the novel coronavirus
São Paulo, December 20, 2021 – In a partnership with Instituto Votorantim and the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBAV3) ran a Public Health Support Program (AGP Saúde) from April to September this year in Itapissuma and Igarassu, two municipalities in northeastern Brazil. As part of the initiative, these municipalities received free mentoring and support in responding to the pandemic and enhancing their healthcare offering, as well as robust management tools to support government officials.
Cloves Carvalho, CEO of Instituto Votorantim, explains that the first step in the program is a quick assessment of the municipal health response, with a focus on primary health care and epidemiological surveillance. The municipal government then sets priorities, targets and goals. “By participating in our AGP Saúde program, municipal governments and their healthcare officials can assess their strategies and, through the initiative, improve their processes, practices and management approach.”
The city sets up a multidisciplinary team that receives online mentoring. This team then implements defined action plans and tracks progress on the initiatives, receiving guidance from program consultants. After the mentoring period, a second assessment is conducted to determine whether the city was able to meet its targets and has achieved progress on the prioritized management competencies.
The program has delivered a number of key benefits, says Carvalho, including integrated tracking of health unit indicators and productivity; purging of e-SUS database inconsistencies; greater consistency in database information; more accurate reporting to the Ministry of Health; unit ratings and identification of areas for improvement; improved understanding by managers and their teams of local challenges; and the ability to spot healthcare gaps in each municipality.
Benedita Alves Pereira, Itapissuma’s healthcare secretary, says the mentoring program has proven to be highly valuable both for the city and for citizens. “We are very grateful for the effort and support given to Itapissuma.”
Roseane Lemos, a municipal management technician in Igarassu, says the mentoring program will enable both personal and skills growth and that the wider initiative will be reflected in higher healthcare quality and in the lives of municipal residents. “This is the beginning of a longer journey to implement and build the tools needed to address new challenges.”
AGP Saúde
The AGP Saúde methodology is designed for cities with a population of up to 350,000. The program works to strengthen municipal practices and competencies by providing online mentoring delivered by healthcare experts. By participating in the program, municipal governments and their healthcare officials can assess their strategies, improve processes and practices, and deploy innovative tools to strengthen municipal management systems.
AGP Saúde is one of several Votorantim initiatives since March 2020 in support of the pandemic response. Votorantim’s shareholders, parent company and portfolio companies, including CBA, contributed a total of R$ 150 million toward the COVID-19 response via the Votorantim Institute.
Through the Institute, and in partnership with Votorantim portfolio companies and other private institutions, the 2021 edition of the AGP Saúde program is currently benefiting 34 cities in 10 states.
“We assessed the impact from our initiatives in 2020, and found that efforts are more effective, in terms of lives saved and cases avoided, when public healthcare management is improved. This has informed our initiatives in 2021,” says Votorantim Institute CEO Cloves Carvalho. The impact assessment, conducted by an independent partner, Metas Sociais, found that in the 151 municipalities that received public administration mentoring in 2020, there were 1,000 lives saved, 33,000 fewer COVID-19 cases, and ICU cost savings of R$ 120 million.
For a complete list of participating cities and further information about the program, go to: http://www.institutovotorantim.org.br/municipioscontraocorona/
About CBA
Founded in 1955, Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBAV3) is a vertically integrated, sustainable producer of high-quality aluminum products. With hydroelectric generation capacity for 100% of our energy requirement, CBA’s operations span both bauxite mining and processing into primary aluminum (ingots, billets, rod and slabs) and semi-fabricated products (plate, sheet, foil and profiles). Working closely with customers, CBA also develops tailored solutions and services for the packaging and transportation markets, helping customers to produce more lightweight, durable and sustainable products. CBA is here for you. Go to: www.cba.com.br.
About the Votorantim Institute
An applied intelligence center that develops social and environmental solutions to create value for society. Founded in 2002, the Votorantim Institute has become a social intelligence hub for Votorantim S.A. portfolio companies, delivering social benefits to the locations where the company operates. The Institute has implemented projects in more than 100 cities across Brazil, as well as in Colombia, Argentina and Peru.
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