Saneamento e saúde pública: eficiência do saneamento básico e seu impacto na saúde (2019 - 2021)

Abstract

The current monograph aims to centralize the description of the efficiency of basic sanitation services in all states of Brazil from 2019 to 2021 from an economic perspective. Additionally, it seeks to establish connections between this efficiency and data related to hospitalizations and deaths resulting from waterborne diseases. The study goes beyond merely evaluating efficiency; it aims to identify states that can be considered benchmarks for excellence in providing basic sanitation services. These benchmark states demonstrate the highest degree of efficiency compared to others, representing a standard to be followed. Another research goal is to determine the type of scale efficiency applicable to each state in each of the three years under analysis. The study employs the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method, with the states of the Brazilian federation as Decision Making Units (DMUs). Data were collected from the “Sistema Nacional de Informações sobre Saneamento” (SNIS) and the “Painel de Saneamento Brasil”, provided by the “Instituto Trata Brasil”. The R software was used for analysis. Results obtained throughout the study reveal that certain states stood out for their efficient performance. In 2019, the states of Acre, Amapá, Pará, Pernambuco, Rondônia, Roraima, and Tocantins excelled as benchmarks in relative efficiency. In 2020, the states of Acre, Amapá, Pará, Rio Grande do Norte, Rondônia, and Roraima received this recognition. In 2021, the states of Acre, Alagoas, Amapá, Bahia, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima, and Tocantins maintained high levels of efficiency. Remarkably, Roraima consistently held the benchmark position throughout the analysis period. The consistency in achieving a scale efficiency score of 1 in all three years emphasizes the continuous optimization of its resources, resulting in a proportional reduction in hospitalizations and deaths with the increase in inputs. The key findings underscore the importance of efficiency in resource allocation and operational management. The state of Roraima emerges as a notable example of how a region can maintain high efficiency standards, even in a scenario of regional diversity. Roraima's consistency as a benchmark state suggests the presence of effective management practices and skillful administration of economies of scale, serving as inspiration for other states seeking improvement in the field of basic sanitation.