Espace urbain et santé publique - L'histoire sociale et politique du système de soins à Quito, entre carte et récit

Abstract

Urban space and public health - Social and political history of the health care system in Quito. Spatialization of data concerning Quito health care system since the colonial period until the present time brings to the fore, through a series of maps which are commented with historical documents, phenomena similar to what has been observed for other urban functions: social segregation in the urban space, the health structures, and even inside the institutions; parallel processes of medicalization and secularization of a system which becomes more and more specialized; extension of State power, which remains fragile, at the expense of the Municipalities. Because of its relatively simple realization and of its legibility, the cartography of the health care system seems an easily transposable indicator of urban functioning.