Colombia-Venezuela Border Crisis

Health Care at the Border

Updated May 2021

Americares initially began operating four medical clinics in Colombia and 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 of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA).  

In accordance with long-term plans, Americares consolidated clinics in the department of Cesar and opened a new facility in the city of Valledupar due to a higher concentration of migrants in the region. Americares has also hired and trained 27 Community Health Workers across the eight departments while adding more full-time personnel to support mobile clinic frequency as well as clinical operations at the fixed facilities. To date, Americares Community Health Workers in Colombia have conducted 280 educational activities across all clinic sites which have been attended by over 5,000 people.

Armed conflict along the border with Venezuela continues to cause a surge in border crossings in the Colombian department of Arauca. Americares mobilized medical staff in the region and is also taking a lead role in response to growing mental health and psychosocial support needs.

The clinics have been providing essential primary care services free of charge to Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees six days a week. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent national strikes which began on April 28^th, certain clinics have had to reduce the number of hours they operate in order to abide by local safety guidelines for both staff and patients. 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. Mobility restrictions during the national quarantine in Colombia accounted for the loss of income for thousands of migrants predominantly working in the informal sector, leading to economic barriers to access basic health services. Americares has adapted its services to meet the health needs of Venezuelan migrants throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

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 2019, Americares has conducted 290,723 primary care patient consultations. Approximately 12 percent of those consultations are for prenatal care, and an additional 16 percent are focused on mental health issues, such as PTSD, depression and anxiety. Since the program’s inception in July 2018, Americares relief workers have conducted more than 376,000 patient consultations.