Digital technology and social participation in surveillance and definition of priority areas and act

Basic City Data

Population size: 265000

Population Growth Rate (%): 2.60

Surface Area (sq.km): 946435

Population Density (people/sq.km): 27916

GDP Per Capita (U.S.$): 73.42

GINI Index: 0.52

Main Source of Prosperity (e.g. industry, trade, tourism, creative industry, etc.): Automotive, chemical and food industry

The municipality of São José dos Pinhais (pop. 265,000) forms part of the southeastern edge of the metropolitan area of the city of Curitiba in the southern Brazilian state of Paraná. The municipality covers that sensitive area where urban expansion encroaches upon and interacts with wildlife habitats, exposing humans and animals to diseases. Despite years of successful containment, Brazil and states such as Paraná have seen a spike in Yellow Fever, which is transmitted from animals to human beings via mosquitoes.  The municipality has designed a public health campaign anchored by a mobile application (app) developed by the Brazilian government, SISS-Geo, to prevent outbreaks in São José dos Pinhais.  SISS-Geo allows anybody with a mobile phone to register and geo-code any sighting of dead animals or potentially contaminated areas with the municipal health department. The app transforms regular citizens into public health scouts, which helps public health departments expand their capacity to scan and scope environmental conditions.  Data collected by the department is then used to identify and project potential viral outbreaks, informing the rollout of vaccination campaigns. The campaign has proven that the SISS-Geo Platform can give public health officials up to 2 months' advance notice of an outbreak, time enough to inoculate thousands of people. It also allows time to develop animal protection initiatives that help protect wildlife.

The TC recommends this initiative for the multiple objectives it achieves through a concerted effort to make a mobile app accessible to residents of all ages and backgrounds:  greater public awareness of public health issues and the interaction between human settlements and wildlife; involvement of residents in their own public health system and initiatives; timely vaccination campaigns, at scale, and equitable; as well as wildlife protection and conservation. This initiative reduces health risks and enhances regional equity. The initiative's reliance on an affordable, accessible and proven app makes it very replicable within and outside of the country.  The successful implementation of the process will deliver outcomes consistent with SDG 3, Good Health and Well-being; SDG 4, Quality Education; SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities; and SDG 15, Life on Land.