By Saulo Delfino Barboza, @SauloDBarboza
The Brazilian Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Skoll Global Threats Fund, created the Guardians of Health app (Guardiões da Saúde), an initiative to involve the population in the public health surveillance, specially during major events such as Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.1 Everyone aged 13 or more going to #Rio2016 can download the Guardians of Health app for free and actively participate in the health surveillance, regardless of being Brazilian, athlete, worker/volunteer or spectator (download app HERE https://guardioesdasaude.org). The Guardians of Health app maps the population health status at municipal, state and national level during #Rio2016 and may facilitate governmental actions.
Multiple (Practical) Uses of the App
Besides monitoring his/her (or population’s) health status, those using the Guardians of Health app can directly access news and health advices from the Brazilian Ministry of Health. In the “health tips screen” of the Guardians of Health app, it is possible to know how to prevent common health problems in Brazil (eg, Zika, Dengue Fever). If necessary, users can find nearby Emergency Health Care Units and drugstores according to their phone/computer geolocation. Useful phone numbers are also inside the app, such as SAMU (a 24/7 toll-free number providing emergency healthcare service).
It’s Easy to become a Guardian of Health
Want to become a Guardian of Health during Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games? The Guardians of Health app (Guardiões da Saúde) is available for free in 7 languages for iOS (versions 9.0 or above), Android (4.4 or above) or at https://guardioesdasaude.org.
And it’s free!
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Saulo Delfino Barboza (@SauloDBarboza) is a PhD candidate at the Amsterdam Collaboration on Health & Safety in Sports, VU University Medical Center & Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands. His PhD is supported by CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior), Brazilian Ministry of Education.
REFERENCES
- Guardiões da Saúde. https://guardioesdasaude.org/sobre (accessed 21 Jul 2016).