Smartphones, AI, and Glasses: Reaching Remote Communities with Portable Eye Care

IDB Lab Lead Specialist. Natalia works on bringing startup innovation to the public sector. She is currently in charge of the GovTech agenda at IDB Lab and co-leads Source of Innovation, an alliance that promotes innovation in the water and sanitation sector. &nbsp;She has considerable experience working with governments, NGOs, and the private sector to plan and carry out initiatives across Latin America and the Caribbean. n her prior positions, Natalia concentrated on cluster and value chain development, as well as small business development through public-private partnerships. She has been establishing cross-sector alliances and creating new strategies to effectively accomplish development goals for more than 20 years. Natalia completed postgraduate studies in economics and urbanism in Argentina and Spain after earning a degree in economics from the University of Buenos Aires.<\/span><\/p>”,”buttonUrl”:”\/en\/blog\/search-our-blog?search=Natalia+Monica+Laguyas”,”buttonText”:”Read Natalia’s blogs”}},{“name”:”Leonardo Goes Shibata”,”type”:”normal”,”modalId”:”Leonardo Goes Shibata”,”linkedinUrl”:””,”avatarUrl”:”https:\/\/www.iadb.org\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/square_1x1_370000_370x370_100\/public\/2025-12\/leonardo-goes-idb-author.png?h=35278c44&itok=6G4atob1″,”info”:{“position”:”Sector Specialist -Health”,”organization”:””},”actions”:{“buttonUrl”:”\/en\/blog\/search-our-blog?search=Leonardo+Goes+Shibata”,”buttonText”:”Read more blogs”},”modalContent”:{“heading”:”Leonardo Goes Shibata”,”description”:”

Leonardo Shibata is a specialist in the Health, Nutrition, and Population (HNP) Division at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).He has a diverse professional background. At Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, he used Big Data &amp; Analytics technologies to systematize the results of COVID-19 diagnostic tests in the state of S\u00e3o Paulo during the pandemic. At UNOPS, he used epidemiological and healthcare data to develop the functional program of five regional hospitals in Jamaica, in addition to others in Brazil. At JPAL LAC, he fostered the creation of a culture of Impact Evaluation of public policies in several federal government agencies of Brazil. He holds a Master in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor\u2019s degree in Physiotherapy from the University of S\u00e3o Paulo.<\/p>”,”buttonUrl”:”\/en\/blog\/search-our-blog?search=Leonardo+Goes+Shibata”,”buttonText”:”Read Leonardo’s blogs”}},{“name”:”Caio Abujamra”,”type”:”external”,”modalId”:”Caio Abujamra”,”linkedinUrl”:””,”avatarUrl”:”https:\/\/www.iadb.org\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/square_1x1_370000_370x370_100\/public\/2025-11\/Caio%20Abujamra.jpg?h=fa562958&itok=Pbx8C76C”,”info”:{“position”:”President, Suel Abujamra Institute”,”organization”:””},”actions”:{“buttonUrl”:”\/en\/blog\/search-our-blog?search=Caio+Abujamra”,”buttonText”:”Read more blogs”},”modalContent”:{“heading”:”Caio Abujamra”,”description”:”

Caio Abujamra is an executive and entrepreneur who has been working in the eye health sector in Brazil since 2019. After his father\u2019s passing, he assumed the presidency of the Suel Abujamra Institute of Ophthalmology, facing the challenge of rescuing the institution from a severe financial crisis that threatened ophthalmic care for the population of S\u00e3o Paulo under the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS).<\/p>

Under his leadership, the Suel Abujamra Institute not only overcame the crisis but became the largest provider of ophthalmic services for the SUS-dependent population in Brazil, quadrupling the volume of care and raising the quality of assistance. This progress earned international recognition, including admission to the World Association of Eye Hospitals (WAEH) and the 2024 Young System Leader award, granted by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).<\/p>

One of his most notable contributions is the Aldeia em Foco project. Additionally, as co-founder of the Juntos pela Vis\u00e3o movement, Caio Abujamra has led high-impact initiatives throughout Brazil, consolidating the country as a global reference in overcoming barriers to visual&nbsp;health&nbsp;access.<\/p>”,”buttonUrl”:”\/en\/blog\/search-our-blog?search=Caio+Abujamra”,”buttonText”:”Read Caio’s blogs”}},{“name”:”Frank Hida”,”type”:”external”,”modalId”:”Frank Hida”,”linkedinUrl”:””,”avatarUrl”:”https:\/\/www.iadb.org\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/square_1x1_370000_370x370_100\/public\/2025-11\/Frank%20Hida.jpg?h=a610a299&itok=4U9QRv8t”,”info”:{“position”:”Aldeia em Foco Project Coordinator”,”organization”:””},”actions”:{“buttonUrl”:”\/en\/blog\/search-our-blog?search=Frank+Hida”,”buttonText”:”Read more blogs”},”modalContent”:{“heading”:”Frank Hida”,”description”:”

Aldeia em Foco Project Coordinator, IAPB Latin America Sub-Regional Brazil Co-Chair, Co-founder and coordinator of Social Impact in Eye Health in Brazil. Also actively involved in advocacy, implementing EyeCare programs in different NGOs and collaborates in community empowerment for sustainable projects.<\/p>

Civil Engineer and independent social entrepreneur with more than 10 years\u2019 experience in health expeditions in remote indigenous, quilombolas and riverside communities in Brazil.&nbsp;<\/p>

Professionally works as independent consultant in Project Management in the field of healthcare engineering, management, and&nbsp;health&nbsp;tech.<\/p>”,”buttonUrl”:”\/en\/blog\/search-our-blog?search=Frank+Hida”,”buttonText”:”Read Frank’s blogs”}}]
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