to diffuse its expertise at the local level and inform
aimed to demonstrate the potential of e-health
the communities about their territory.
technology for improving current and future health services in urban metropolises by addressing the
Ricky Burdett contributed to the debate
economic, social and physical obstacles to access
by questioning in more detail how the program
healthcare in underserved communities and
was led and how the success claimed by Antonio
populations. General Electric provided community
Celia can be demonstrated. Mariana Alegre
workers in the favela with a mobile health kit,
exposed the case study of the same organization –
containing equipment able to collect and transmit
Como Vamos – in Lima. Again, she insisted on the
health data to the nearest clinic. The benefits are
importance of raising expectations and awareness
immediate for the patients and for the overall
through better indicators and measurement about
medical system.
what is going on in this city. She showed that involving media in the common stakeholders’
The sustainability of all these movements and
discussion and negotiation is a powerful channel
their actions has been questioned because it might
of information for local communities. This network
also be related to change in political elections and
has the power to understand the needs of the
the lack of political support. All the speakers agree
people, to communicate them and to develop
on the fact that if civil society and the private
policy recommendations.
sector work together to define their needs and their solutions, national governments should follow in
Jorge Abrahao presented the Brazilian
the decision-making processes.
case study of the platform for an inclusive, green and responsible economy developed by Ethos Institute. It aims to develop new tools and new indicators to integrate new actors, such as businesses, in the public realm. It has also helped many mayors and elected officials to politically commit to new ways of creating the city. Janaina Herrera presented the m-health pilot project in the favela of Dona Marta, Rio de Janeiro, led by the New Cities Foundation. She started by stating that Rio is a city that has a rapidly aging population with limited mobility. This pilot project is based on anticipation of similar health trends in other important emerging urban centers over the next twenty years. This case study 23