Access of children with congenital Zika virus syndrome to public policies

Congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) is responsible for several malformations, including microcephaly. This study aimed to describe children's access to social public policies: lifetime benefit (E60) created in the face of the Zika virus public health emergency (Espin-ZIKV) or Continuous Cash Benefit/ Type 87 (BPC/E87). Thus, this study compares the children's access before and after Espin-ZIKV. This was a cross-sectional study, with data extraction and description from the Brazilian Information System on Live Births (SINASC), the Registry of Public Health Events-Microcephaly (Resp-Microcephaly), and the Unified System for Benefits Information (SUIBE), from 2013 to 2021. We describe the E60 that were still active at the time of SUIBE data extraction in May, 2023. We compared the granting of BPC/E87 for microcephaly in 2013 and 2021 (before and after Espin-ZIKV). Of the 20,000,859 live births from 2015-2021, 20,464 suspected cases of CZS were reported in Resp-Microcephaly; 20% of affected patients received some social benefit: 705 received E60 and 3,822 received BPC/E87. The national average of BPC/E87 granted in 2013 for microcephaly was eight for every 100,000 live births (before EspinZIKV), while in 2021 it was five BPC/E 87 for every 100,000 live births (after Espin-ZIKV) (p < 0.01). We observed 689 children with active E60 (from 3 to 8years of age), in May, 2023. The study showed low social protection for children with suspected CZS. However, of those who benefited from the E60, 98% had active benefits in 2023, demonstrating the important survival of the benefited children. A reduction in the mean number of BPC/E87 grants for microcephaly without specified cause was observed after Espin-ZIKV.