Clínica Aberta
São Paulo, Brazil · running since 2025 · partner: three named local clinics
What it is
Three partner clinics in São Paulo hold open slots for people without health coverage. We pay the consultation fee and the first month of any prescription. The patient pays nothing and is not asked to prove income.
Why we fund it this way
The barrier is almost never the doctor. It is the R$80 consultation fee and the fact that people put it off until it is an emergency, which costs the public system far more than the consultation would have. We pay the small number early instead of the large number late.
What we got wrong
We initially funded consultations only, not medication. Roughly a third of patients left with a prescription they could not fill, which made the consultation nearly worthless. We added a medication line in month four. It should have been there from day one.
Quarterly breakdown
The full year.
Budget
Where the $52,000 went.
| Line | Detail | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Consultation fees | 1,340 subsidised visits | $29,500 |
| Medication | First month, per prescription | $14,200 |
| Clinic coordination | Admin at three partner sites | $5,400 |
| Interpretation | Portuguese/Spanish support | $1,700 |
| Compliance and records | Data handling, consent | $1,200 |
| Total | Cost per consultation $38.80 | $52,000 |
About $38 covers a consultation, and roughly $58 covers a patient’s full episode of care including medication. A $50 monthly gift funds around ten patients a year.
On location