Assistance to Displaced Populations in Colombia - PAHO 2009

More than four decades of internal violence has resulted in Colombia dealing with one of the largest displaced populations in the world with more than three million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The ongoing conflict in the country continues to affect the civilian population who face human rights abuses abductions poor access to safe water and sanitation facilities and increasing humanitarian needs in the areas of health and nutrition. CIDA’s contribution is helping to support the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to respond to the emergency health needs of displaced populations in Colombia as well as Colombian refugees just outside the country’s border areas. Project activities include analyzing and managing health information; providing technical assistance to help implement the national public health plan; strengthening emergency response capacities in the areas of water sanitation and hygiene; facilitating IDP access to healthcare in areas with limited access; developing tools and methodologies to improve IDP health status; contingency planning for mass displacement; and creating early warning systems for epidemic-prone diseases immediately following displacement.