Colombia – Emergency Health Intervention – Doctors Without Borders 2016

March 2016 – Colombia continues to be plagued by a long-standing armed conflict. An estimated 6.5 million people are either displaced within the country or have sought refuge in Ecuador and Venezuela. Consequences of the conflict include forced displacement limited mobility of people goods and services forced recruitment of children and young people by armed groups as well as sexual and gender-based violence. In 2015 850 000 people were affected by mobility restrictions and constraints to access assistance and basic services. There are 5.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance including access to safe water adequate sanitation and hygiene systems health care services in rural areas protection as well as timely food assistance and nutritional support. With GAC’s support Doctors Without Borders is increasing access to basic health care and mental health care in the departments of Nariño and Valle del Cauca. Project activities include: (1) providing medical care to up to 600 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence; (2) providing mental health care for up to 13 200 victims of violence; (3) training health workers and community leaders on mental health and psychological first aid; and (4) increasing awareness on mental health to up to 11 000 crisis-affected people.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) improved access to medical care and mental health care for victims of violence; (2) improved mental health and psychological services and (3) increased awareness of mental health issues. The expected intermediate outcome is the reduced vulnerability of crisis-affected people especially women and children.