Fortaleza City Hall launched Saúde que Cuida Digital on September 22, 2026, a package that brings together three fronts for users of the municipal SUS public health system: the Saúde na Palma da Mão app, appointment and exam confirmation through WhatsApp, and the IAra artificial intelligence assistant. The change does not mean that every service is open in the same way to the entire population. Some functions were presented as available at launch, while others still depend on gradual rollout or a future deadline.
What changes in practice
| Service | Function | Channel | Who uses it | Status reported by City Hall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saúde na Palma da Mão | Check scheduled care, receive reminders, access the vaccination card, get vaccine alerts and use Farmácia Digital. | App | Users of municipal health services | New features presented at the September 22 launch. |
| Appointment and exam confirmation | Receive the appointment date, confirm or cancel, obtain proof, receive a reminder and use the rescheduling option. | People with a consultation or exam scheduled in the municipal network | Service presented as active in the package launched on September 22. | |
| IAra | Ongoing follow-up, guidance, medication reminders, care messages and teleconsultation requests. | WhatsApp provided to registered patients | At this stage, patients with hypertension and diabetes from three participating health units | Initial phase with about 5,000 patients, with expansion planned in stages. |
Saúde na Palma da Mão: what the app now brings together
In the version presented by City Hall, Saúde na Palma da Mão brings together information and services that previously required more in-person steps or checks through other channels. Users can review care that has already been scheduled and receive reminders for consultations and exams. The app also provides access to the vaccination card and can send notifications when a new vaccine becomes available and when a person meets the reported eligibility criteria.
One of the main new features is Farmácia Digital. According to the Municipal Health Department, patients will be able to register and attach documents through the app to access specialized medicines. The aim is to reduce repeated trips to complete registration, scheduling and medicine pickup steps. After the digital stage, an in-person visit is still required to receive the medicine on the scheduled date.
One function was announced for a later stage: TelePrEP. City Hall said the feature should be added to Farmácia Digital later in 2026 and will allow users to request a virtual consultation related to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. TelePrEP therefore should not be treated as a feature already available on September 22.
WhatsApp: confirming, canceling and rescheduling consultations and exams
The new WhatsApp flow was designed to reduce no-shows and release unused slots more quickly. The appointment date can be sent by message, so a person does not have to go to a health unit just to learn the schedule. After receiving the notice, the user can confirm the consultation or exam and receives proof. If the user cancels, the slot can be passed to the next person in line.
The system sends additional reminders on the day before the appointment. City Hall also says there is a rescheduling option. The number officially identified as the sender of these messages is (85) 3179-0199. The municipal publication describes this contact as the number that sends confirmations. It does not present it as a general help line for starting any health service by WhatsApp, so the safest interpretation is to follow the flow received for an existing appointment.
IAra: who is already being followed and what the tool does
IAra is an artificial intelligence assistant on WhatsApp designed for ongoing follow-up. In the initial phase, about 5,000 patients with hypertension and diabetes are being followed at three units: Padre Hermano Mestrom Health Unit in Parque Araxá, Vicentina Campos Health Unit in Parque Dois Irmãos, and Rigoberto Romero Health Unit in Cidade 2000.
The tool sends guidance about medicines and care, supports text and audio interaction, and can route a teleconsultation request. City Hall says that more than 50% of the people covered in this first stage are older adults, which is why audio use was highlighted as an important part of the experience. For registered patients, IAra's WhatsApp number is provided within the follow-up flow itself.
When virtual care is requested, the support structure includes the Telehealth Center at the Fortaleza School of Public Health, prepared to bring together up to 13 doctors simultaneously. IAra's second phase is expected to include pregnant women. The Municipality's stated target is to expand follow-up to 20,000 people by the end of 2026 and reach 200,000 by the end of 2027. These figures are expansion targets, not the number already being served.
What is already available and what still depends on expansion
- App with new functions: presented at launch with appointment checks, reminders, vaccination card, notifications and Farmácia Digital.
- WhatsApp for consultations and exams: presented as an operating service for confirmation, cancellation, reminders and rescheduling of scheduled care.
- IAra: already operating in an initial phase for a defined group of patients with hypertension and diabetes in three health units.
- TelePrEP: announced for Farmácia Digital later in 2026, so it should not be confused with a feature already released on launch day.
- IAra expansion: depends on later phases, including pregnant women and a larger number of patients under follow-up.
How to use the new channels without mixing up their roles
For people who already use Fortaleza's SUS network, the main change is that follow-up is becoming more distributed between the app and messaging. The app concentrates personal care information, vaccination data and Farmácia Digital. The confirmation WhatsApp flow is for interacting with consultations and exams that have already been scheduled. IAra, in turn, is a follow-up channel for patients enrolled in the program and is not an open WhatsApp service for the entire city at this stage.
The official publication reviewed does not provide a step-by-step installation or initial registration guide for the app, nor does it publish one general number that anyone can use to start a conversation with IAra. It is therefore important to distinguish announced functions from the access methods actually described by the Municipality.
Official sources
This guide was updated with Fortaleza City Hall's publication after the September 22, 2026 launch and with the announcement published the day before. See the official launch report for Saúde que Cuida Digital and the official September 21 announcement.
