article atm-icon bar bell bio cancel-o cancel ch-icon crisis-color crisis cs-icon doc-icon down-angle down-arrow-o down-triangle download email-small email external facebook googleplus hamburger image-icon info-o info instagram left-angle-o left-angle left-arrow-2 left-arrow linkedin loader menu minus-o pdf-icon pencil photography pinterest play-icon plus-o press right-angle-o right-angle right-arrow-o right-arrow right-diag-arrow rss search tags time twitter up-arrow-o videos

Suggested Content

Colombia-Venezuela Border Crisis

STATUS
Active Emergency
DATE
August 01, 2018 -Present
REGION
Latin America: Colombia
Help families in crisis. Give Health Now.

Ongoing Health Crisis

Migration: And still they come – month after month, week after week, every day Venezuelans cross the border (more than 7 million since 2015) driven by extreme food and medicine shortages, violence and political instability.  More than 2.8 million Venezuelans have migrated to Colombia – many seeking better health care and economic opportunities.

Health Care: Pharmacies and hospitals in Venezuela have severe shortages of medicine and supplies and inadequate staffing as medical professionals leave the country. Even in locations where medical services are available in Venezuela, falling wages and hyperinflation have put medical care out of reach for many families. The collapse of the health care system has exacerbated health conditions for the migrant population with many going months without care. The COVID-19 global pandemic added another challenge for access to health care as border crossings were restricted.

Response: Americares has set up 10 clinics in 10 departments in Colombia to meet the primary health care needs of migrants, some who may arrive with chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. In addition, the clinics have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by screening and identifying patients with suspected COVID-19 infections and referring those cases to designated clinics for testing. Staff have been provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) and specialized COVID-19 training.

Watch the video of migrants coming to Colombia talking about their journey and hope towards a better future. “To be a ‘caminante’ (walker) is to have will, to have strength, and always telling yourself, ‘I can.’….”

Family picture of Lisbeth, her husband, children and dog Rocky

Health Care at the Border

Updated December 2022

Americares initially began operating four medical clinics in Colombia then opened six more in response to the ever-growing humanitarian emergency in Venezuela. The clinics were established in coordination with the Colombian Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MSPS) and made possible with the generous support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) now called the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA).  As of September 2021, Americares also counts on the generous support of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM). Six BHA clinics (Arauca, Cúcuta, Cali, Maicao, Santa Marta and Soledad) transitioned to PRM in August 2022 while the remaining three clinics (Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Valledupar) operated until 15 November 2022. PRM clinics will be funded through September 2023.

Americares has hired and trained community health workers in 10 departments, with logistical support from local community leaders, to promote educational messages for self-care in community settings and to connect people in remote areas with Americares’ clinical services. To date, Americares community health workers in Colombia have carried out more than 4,300 educational activities in all clinics and have seen more than 55,000 attendees.

The clinics have been providing essential primary care services free of charge to Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees six days a week. By providing primary care, as well as delivering reproductive health services and mental health support, the Americares clinics in Colombia are helping to alleviate the strain placed on the Colombian health system due to the influx of migrants.

Thousands of Venezuelan migrants continue to cross the border into Colombia daily in search of quality health care, education and economic opportunities. Prenatal services are one of the major reasons migrants seek care at the clinics in Colombia. Since August 2018, Americares has conducted more than 863,000 primary care and mental health consultations in Colombia.

Health worker at Colombia clinic in Arauca teaches young man how to wash hands properly

Fighting the Pandemic with Proven Tools

It is the same in Colombia as it has been in Connecticut; the same rules have applied. Get vaccinated, wear a mask, wash your hands and keep social distancing when possible. The science is clear. These steps help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. Watch the video of a health worker teaching a young boy how to properly his wash hands.

COVID-19 Response

Americares staff working in as many as 13 primary care clinics in Colombia have been providing essential health services free of charge to Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees as well as screening and identifying patients with suspected COVID-19 infections and referring those cases to designated clinics for testing. Staff have been provided with personal protective equipment and specialized COVID-19 training. Americares also delivered home isolation packs to patients and their caregivers. In addition, all clinics continue to adapt their services based on evolving local regulations. Community Health Workers at all clinics continue to provide patients with COVID-19 education and health messaging relevant to the migrant population.

The very young…

A very young patient watches intently
A very young patient visiting an Americares clinic in Santa Marta

…and the Elders…

An elderly patient receiving treatment from a health care worker
An elderly patient from Venezuela finds health care at the Santa Marta clinic in Colombia

…have access to quality health care at the Americares clinics.

Two children visiting a mobile health clinic in Bogota, Colombia, March 4, 2022. (Photo - Jeff Kennel/Americares)
Two children visit a mobile health clinic in Bogota, Colombia, March 4, 2022. (Photo – Jeff Kennel/Americares)

…and this includes mental health care.

Claudia* once owned her own ceramics business in Venezuela and dreamed of building a good life for herself and her children, and then it all changed. Read Claudia’s story, Rising from the Ashes.

Staff member in mask and blue scrubs working with patient who is back to the camera.
Americares Psychologist Jhon Jairo speaks with Claudia, a patient at an Americares clinic in Colombia.

Consequences of Delayed Health Care

Many of the clinic visits involving pregnant women seeking prenatal care have underlying health conditions making them more susceptible to high-risk pregnancies. Some women arrive with potential pregnancy complications that can be treated at our clinics or are then referred to other healthcare providers.

Failure to identify and treat diseases early can lead to long periods of hospitalization and lengthen the recovery for patients. In the most extreme cases, lack of treatment can result in disability or death. In addition, prolonged health issues can prevent Venezuelans from working, increasing the financial burden on families already struggling due to the economic crisis.

And access to health care can be life changing for the most vulnerable people in a community. Scarlett’s story illustrates the power of health – mental and physical.

Access to health care – a good reason to celebrate.

A mother and child join the celebration
A mother and child join an Americares health education workshop and community celebration in a village outside of Santa Marta, Colombia, March 3, 2022. (Photo – Jeff Kennel/Americares)
“I will always be thankful to the people of Americares for saving my life. God bless you always for such beautiful work you do. And to the people who donate, I ask God to multiply them so that they continue to help people in need who so require it.”

Alcides, a clinic patient from Venezuela

More about our clinics
Three medical staff members in full protective gear with gown, gloves, face mask, face shield, and their name plates attached to their gowns..
Putting a human face on staff members in PPE at Magdalena clinic in Colombia

Our Work Around the World

Americares responds to an average of 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings disaster preparedness programs to vulnerable communities. Our relief workers are among the first to respond to emergencies and stay as long as needed, helping to restore health services for survivors.

americares work globally
americares logo

Health Makes Everything Possible

Our Impact with Your Giving Dollar
Generous donors make all our achievements possible. We are able to respond to more disasters, expand our health programs and save more lives because of the individuals, foundations and corporations that trust Americares to improve the lives of people in the United States and around the world.
Charity Navigator, BBB, and Candid logos Americares is No. 10 on Forbes’ 2022 List of Top Charities
  • 98% efficiency pie chart

  • More than 98% of our resources support health programs.

  • Americares efficiency with your charitable dollar is one reason that we’re trusted by donors and consistently receive high marks from charity evaluators.