Building Bridges: Inclusive Healthcare for Venezuelan Migrants in Colombia

The USAID Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) project in Colombia partnered with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MSPS, Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social) to promote the social inclusion of Venezuelan migrants in the country's healthcare system through capacity strengthening at the individual, organizational, and system levels. The project identified two main challenges: 1) lack of coordination between Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and Territorial Entities (TEs), and 2) lack of capacity to generate and use data for migrant health policy. 

To address these challenges, the LHSS Colombia program implemented a bottom-up, localized approach that focused on capacity building and collaboration. This strategy strengthened the capabilities of 16 local governments and 11 CBOs across ten cities and nine departments. The program intentionally fostered a culture of continuous learning, internal and external collaboration, and co-creation of local interventions.

The outcomes of this Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approach have been significant. Intersectoral coordination has improved, leading to the institutionalization of policies that expand healthcare access for migrants. Migrants have been actively involved in decision-making processes and policy formulation, facilitating their social and political integration. The organizational capacity of territorial entities and CBOs has been strengthened, enabling them to provide equitable health services. Additionally, a monitoring and follow-up system has been established to ensure progress tracking and sustainability.  

Enabling conditions such as commitment, collaboration, and empowerment have contributed to the program's success. However, challenges remain, including high turnover rates at TEs and the need to address cultural barriers and gender and social inclusion.