San Miguelito is not letting its guard down against dengue and is now stepping into the fight with technology in hand. In one of the districts hardest hit by the disease, VANESSA, a WhatsApp bot, has been launched. It will allow people to report suspected cases and mosquito breeding sites with exact location data directly from their cell phones. It is a digital tool designed for the streets, for the neighborhood, and for daily reality. VANESSA—an acronym for Vigilancia Activa Inteligente Nacional para la Educación en Salud y Seguimiento de Arbovirosis (National Active Intelligent Surveillance for Health Education and Arbovirus Monitoring)—aims to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and help health brigades get to where they are needed faster. The project will be tested between January and July 2026, through a study that will measure how much the population uses the bot and how effective it is in supporting dengue control in San Miguelito. Behind the platform is the technological backing of Esri Panamá, which developed the geolocation and spatial analysis system. "It's an understanding," said the chancellor.
VANESSA will allow:
Reporting of breeding sites and suspicious symptoms with exact location. Direct communication between the community and health authorities. Risk maps to better organize tours and fumigation campaigns. Automatic responses, so people know their report was received.
The goal is for at least 25% of dengue reports in the district to be made through this channel, demonstrating that technology can be an ally to the official surveillance system and that the model can be replicated in other parts of the country. With VANESSA, they seek to close the gap left by the traditional system, which almost always depends on the patient making it to a health center. Every report sent by a citizen becomes useful information: heat maps, statistical data, and operational dashboards that allow for prioritizing the most affected areas and not acting blindly. "Every report leads to a faster and more precise decision on the ground," said technicians involved in the project, highlighting that it's not just about accumulating data, but about acting with greater precision. Technology put into the neighborhood. San Miguelito has led the dengue statistics for years, hit by overcrowding, waste management problems, and difficulties in reaching all sectors with health education.
