Buenos Aires,
Argentina
Public Policies Based on Data Lead to Significant Decrease in Infant Mortality
Project Type:
Health and Wellbeing, High-Performing Government, Youth Development
At a Glance
39% decline in the infant mortality rate between 2016 and 2022.
15 minutes: the maximum time it takes for a resident to reach a community healthcare center.
300 individual metrics are being tracked to support the quality and reliability of 115 public services.
100% of Buenos Aires community health centers now operate with electronic medical charts.
The City now has a thorough data strategy, clear evidence-based policies, 30 executive dashboards, and more than 4,300 indicators after creating the Undersecretariat for Evidence-Based Public Policies and the General Directorate of Monitoring and Evaluation.
Reducing the Infant Mortality Rate
Improving the infant mortality rate in Buenos Aires, which was 7.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2016, required a multi-pronged strategy, especially because the hospitals and doctors offices are run by public and private entities as well as social security. Additionally, the strategy was not just medical—it required the coordinated approach of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Human Development and Habitat to carry out policies that considered both medical and social implications.
Effective solutions to complex and urgent problems require more than passion and good ideas. City leaders need the right data to illuminate the depth and breadth of an issue; that is what sets the stage for smart public policy.
The City, which had already worked to build a data-driven culture, took another step forward by implementing electronic medical records in all health and community action centers (CeSACs), collecting healthcare data from across Buenos Aires to better identify at-risk pregnant women and develop integrated interventions to both strengthen health services and create targeted solutions. Specific goals were established:
- Make healthcare more accessible so that every resident has a community healthcare center less than 15 minutes from their home.
- All women would receive at least five checkups over the course of a pregnancy and seven pediatric consultations during the baby’s first year.
- Promote the healthy development of vulnerable children between 45 days and 3 years old through 76 early childhood centers.
With these clear, measurable targets and the increase in higher quality data, all of the goals had been reached by 2022. Additionally, the City reached their goals with an emphasis on transparency: Buenos Aires’ General Directorate of Statistics and Censuses allowed residents to have transparent and reliable access to data as well as a way to monitor and evaluate progress on the measures the City was taking to improve healthcare.
How else has Buenos Aires become a more data-driven government?
- Digitized and streamlined their procurement system and made data on city contracts open and accessible.
- BOTI, the first city-developed chatbot for WhatsApp in the world, had 59 million conversations with residents in 2022.
- Developed “green streets” to create more natural space for pedestrian enjoyment and capture stormwater.
- Created a 3D model of the City to aid neighborhood development and make it easier to see regulations and codes.
The Ministry of Health constructed seven new health care centers and renovated 10 others. Pregnant women were given priority when making appointments online for primary care visits. Targeted campaigns involving workshops, at-work training and seminars—on subjects including sleeping and eating habits—had reached 7,000 families considered to be highly vulnerable. And the overall impact was clear: The City of Buenos Aires reduced its infant mortality rate by 39% from 7.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2016, to 4.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022.
Buenos Aires’ progress on maternal care and infant health is just one example of how the City’s commitment to improve data quality, quantity and practices is bearing fruit. But a 39% decrease in infant mortality rate is more than a success story for the City of Buenos Aires—it’s a number that represents the prevention of heartbreaking losses in scores of families—and incalculable joy as families watch their children grow up.
“We have a limited time to transform reality—and data-driven governance can accelerate positive change. By having shared standards and rules for data management, we create a common understanding and language, powering day-to-day change.”