How a hospital mentorship program in Colombia is saving lives
First published January 7, 2025 by USAID
When a pregnant Venezuelan migrant arrived at a hospital in Colombia in critical condition, bleeding heavily from a placental abruption and without any prior prenatal care, the odds were stacked against her.
Yet Dr. Carlos Folleco, a delivery room doctor at the Joaquin Paz Borrero Hospital in Cali, swiftly stabilized both mother and newborn baby using the Mentor Hospital strategy supported by USAID.
This partnership between USAID and the local health systems is playing a key role in improving health outcomes for pregnant women and new mothers.
In recent years, Colombia has seen a massive influx in migration — including pregnant migrants — from neighboring Venezuela. Since 2015, over 7 million Venezuelans have fled economic hardship, violence, and political repression in search of safety, health care, and a chance to rebuild their lives.
For about 3 million of these migrants, Colombia has emerged as the primary destination in Latin America, resulting in the largest migration in the Western Hemisphere’s history and placing immense pressure on Colombia’s health systems.
Amid the rising Venezuelan migration to Colombia and the COVID-19 pandemic, Colombia’s National Institute of Health reported a significant rise in severe maternal morbidity, or unexpected complications during childbirth that can lead to serious health consequences. From 2020 to 2021, severe maternal morbidity rose by 26% among pregnant Colombians and by 24% among pregnant Venezuelan migrants.
USAID’s Local Health Systems Sustainability project — Comunidades Saludables — supports Colombia’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection in reducing severe maternal morbidity by training health care workers to provide quality essential maternity and newborn care, manage common obstetric complications, and standardize protocols for perinatal care.
In August 2022, USAID partnered with local hospital Fundación Valle de Lili and Propacífico, a private sector partner that promotes sustainable development, to support the Mentor Hospital strategy in southern Colombia.
This involved strengthening case management protocols of maternal health services, including safe delivery practices, and facilitating best practice exchanges and simulation workshops between general and specialized health care providers.
Dr. Aura María Salazar, a pediatrician, trained other doctors at Valle del Lili and other hospitals on newborn and childbirth skills, such as neonatal resuscitation and the safe transfer of newborns.
“We are providing education and opening doors,” Dr. Salazar said. “So, when [doctors] need to refer [patients] or require any assistance, they can do it without any fear of making mistakes.”
In 2023, 49,000 pregnant migrant women sought maternal care services with health providers participating in the Mentor Hospital strategy.
“During the training, we witnessed the high-risk situations faced by migrant and displaced mothers, who are often affected by violence along with their newborns in rural areas,” Dr. Salazar said. “The challenges they face in accessing transportation, medication, and immediate care in medical emergencies…underscored the value of the work that we were doing.”
InCali, the Mentor Hospital strategy contributed to a maternal mortality rate reduction by more than two-thirds, from 32.5% in July 2022 to 11.73% in May 2023. More patients received the care they needed where they needed it, instead of being referred to another hospital.
“Thanks to these trainings, the rates [of maternal morbidity and mortality] have significantly decreased,” Dr. Folleco said, “especially because the activity focuses on the most needy, vulnerable, and remote communities in our urban centers, including migrants who may not always be familiar with the health care system or have regular prenatal check-ups.”
Through USAID’s support, the Mentor Hospital strategy trained more than 900 doctors and nurses in Southern Colombia since August 2022, achieving significant results — including zero maternal deaths in the city of Buenaventura.
As USAID’s efforts continue to build the capacity of local health systems, Colombia serves as a model for addressing maternal health challenges in the face of migration and global health crises.
About the Author
USAID/Colombia’s Office of Migration assists the Government of Colombia in its response to the current migration crisis. It coordinates with civil society organizations, government agencies, and other international agencies to respond to the needs of Venezuelan migrants, returning Colombians, and receptor communities.
Related Articles
Darién Gap Humanitarian Response by MTI
Medical Teams International launches an innovative storefront and expands health care education and access to services in Colombia.
On the Ground: A Path to Maternal Care at the Venezuela Border
Visit the Colombia-Venezuela border, where Project HOPE is working inside communities and health centers to connect Venezuelan women and girls to essential care.
The Long Road to a Cure for a Neglected Disease
Existing treatments for leishmaniasis are antiquated and agonizing. But researchers at DNDi and PECAT are pioneering gentler, affordable solutions.