State network provides high-cost medicines to 24 thousand people in Amazonas

More than 24 thousand people, from the capital and interior of Amazonas, are served with the supply of high-cost medicines, by the state health network, through the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Assistance (Ceaf). Developed within the scope of the Unified Health System (SUS), Ceaf has, in Manaus, a network of 16 decentralized pharmacies. Another one will open, the 17th, in June this year.

Ceaf coordination works at the Amazonas Medicines Center (Cema), linked to the State Department of Health (SES). Through Ceaf, the Government of Amazonas enables access for patients who need drug treatments, with drugs that can cost between R$30,000 and R$500,000.

Today, Ceaf operates with financial support from the Federal Government, via the Ministry of Health (MS), and from the Government of Amazonas, via SES-AM. This support is essential, for example, for patients undergoing treatment for chronic degenerative diseases and for illnesses considered rare. The logistics and distribution of medicines to decentralized pharmacies is carried out by Cema.

Basic care

These medications, as explained by the Secretary of State for Health, Nayara Maksoud, are not available in Primary Care and many are not found in regular pharmacies. Some medications stabilize the patient’s health and prevent worsening and progression of diseases.

According to Nayara Maksoud, access to Ceaf medicines has an extremely positive impact, especially for people with more complex health conditions. “These medicines are developed to treat serious and chronic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, immunosuppression for transplants, among others. Access to these medicines even contributes to reducing hospital admissions and complications resulting from the disease, also positively impacting the health system as a whole”, noted the secretary.

Ceaf’s decentralized pharmacies, in Mayara Maksoud’s assessment, represent an advance in the public policies developed by the Government of Amazonas, in the area of Health, starting in 2019, when Governor Wilson Lima took over the state administration. Since then, service has grown by 92%, from 12,500 patients seen in 2019, to 24,000.

According to Nayara Maksoud, of the 24 thousand patients treated with access to high-cost medicines, some withdraw or apply monthly, quarterly, semi-annually and even annually, depending on the case. “Patients from all over the state have access to these products. Every month, Ceaf registers a thousand people requesting medicines that are part of the program,” she explained.

Access to medicines

For the patient to have access to high-cost medications listed by Ceaf, they must follow the protocols required by the Ministry of Health and present the necessary documents, as detailed by the Amazonas Pharmaceutical Assistance manager, Gleice Baiocco.

It informs that the patient needs to be equipped with a Request, Assessment and Authorization Report (LME), prescription, report and tests that prove their illness. With these documents in hand, you will register at one of the decentralized pharmacies of the state health network, in the capital and interior. At the time of registration, an assessment of the documentation is carried out.

“The assessment is to check whether the patient complies with the Ministry of Health’s protocols. If so, they will have access to the benefit, within the dosage and frequency they require. In the case of Group 1 medicines, which are financed with federal resources, the request, after approval of the documentation, is submitted to the Ministry of Health, which reevaluates the protocols”, details Gleice Baiocco.

Groups

Ceaf medicines are divided into two groups: 1, which is financed with resources from the Ministry of Health; and 2, which is made possible by the State.

High-cost medicines are stored at Cema, which takes care of all distribution logistics to decentralized pharmacies, in order to get the products to closer locations that are easily accessible to the population.

“Cema is one of the most important and strategic areas of health, because it coordinates the entire distribution of medicines in the State, in order to maintain supply in the capital and interior, advancing in every way in decentralization, increasing the capillarity of the service and the population access”, reinforces the Secretary of Health, Nayara Maksoud.

Where decentralized pharmacies operate:

Child Care Center (CAIC) Alberto Carreira – Compensa

CAIC Dr Maria Helena Freitas – Novo Israel

CAIC Afrânio Soares – Parque 10

Senior Care Center (CAIMI) Ada Rodrigues Viana – Avenida Brasil – Compensa

CAIMI Paulo Cesar de Araújo Lima – are being served at Ceaf, at Cema – Praça 14

Cecon Foundation – Planalto

Alfredo da Matta Foundation – Cachoeirinha

Hemoam Foundation – Constantino Nery

Hospital Infantil Dr. Fajardo – Avenida Joaquim Nabuco, Centro

West Zone Children’s Hospital – Avenida Brasil – Compensa

Children’s Institute (ICAM) – Cachoeirinha