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Crisis Alert: We are responding to Hurricane Helene

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Colombia

Our Work in Country

Colombia faces numerous barriers in improving healthcare due to its wide-ranging landscapes, increasing poverty and having one of the largest internally displaced populations in the world as a result of more than five decades of internal armed conflict.

Through its ongoing partnership with the Order of Malta, Americares brings access to healthcare and medical supplies to some of the country’s most remote and under-served communities, reaching more than 50 active sub-recipients.

And now at its border with Venezuela, Colombia hosts clinics that are providing medical care to migrants fleeing the economic and social crisis in Venezuela.

Working in Colombia since 1985.

A group of women at La Pista, who went to the brigade to get medical assistant, waiting for their turn in La Guajira Colombia,

Health Crisis

In 2018, Americares began operating medical clinics in Colombia, to provide essential primary care services and access to medicine for migrants fleeing the humanitarian emergency in Venezuela. Americares has operated health centers and mobile clinics in several locations serving migrants from Venezuela, other countries and host communities. The collapse of the health care system in Venezuela as well as the lack of basic medicines has exacerbated health conditions for pregnant women, children, adults, and the elderly. By the time patients arrive at the Americares clinics in Colombia they have often gone without care for a long time. Some arrive with high blood pressure, including pregnant women at risk for preeclampsia, that could have been prevented or diagnosed early and treated with primary care services.

Watch the video of Americares work in the border crisis.

 

Health Snapshot

Due to Colombia’s location within the Pacific Ring of Fire, it puts the population at higher risk of experiencing earthquakes, flooding, and volcanic eruptions. Not only are residents vulnerable to natural disasters, but with a high rate of poverty – roughly 27 percent – it makes it difficult for them to access necessary healthcare and increases their vulnerability to certain diseases in the region.  

Emergency Response

The Nevado del Ruiz volcano, located on the border of the Colombia departments Tolima and Caldas, has remained under an orange alert due to its possible risk of eruption. An eruption could affect some 57,000 families in 27 municipalities, according to authorities. Others have refused to leave their homes. We have a medical team in Colombia that is ready to mobilize should they be needed. The Colombia team has procured 65,000 masks to provide to families affected by the ash and sulfur emissions of the volcano.

 

In November 1985, an eruption of Nevado del Ruiz caused Colombia’s worst natural disaster in its recorded human history, triggering mudflows of volcanic debris that swept through the town of Armero, leaving more than 23,000 people dead.

Americares Inc. en Colombia

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Información Decreto 2150

AMERICARES FOUNDATION INC.  es una entidad sin ánimo de lucro extranjera u ONG que estableció negocios permanentes en Colombia, conforme a los requisitos para su registro e inscripción de que trata la Circular Externa 008 del 2012 de la Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio, los cuales fueron debidamente cumplidos. Y que además cuenta con un Número de Identificación Tributaria que la hace en territorio colombiano capaz de ejercer derechos y contraer obligaciones en el marco de su actividad.