In 2024, Colombia experienced the highest levels of violence since the 2016 peace deal, triggering internal displacement and adding to pressures on the country’s health system.
Insecurity Insight documents conflict events affecting aid operations, education and health care as well as incidents of political-related sexual violence in Colombia.
Our data can be downloaded on the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) and corresponding reports can be accessed below.
Insecurity Insight monitors attacks on health care in Columbia, and based on its data, the Columbia chapter (in English and Spanish) of the 2024 Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) report Epidemic of Violence identified 18 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care in Colombia in 2024. In 2024, health facilities were attacked seven times and emergency medical services were attacked on seven occasions. The actual number of incidents and the severity of the problem are likely much greater.
– Armed groups have restricted civilian movements to tighten their hold over the areas they control, straining health care systems and causing mass displacement.
– Armed groups forcibly abducted health workers and forced them to care for injured fighters and communities under their control.
– The increase in extortion and kidnappings attributed to the ELN forced some health workers to flee, leaving local communities without access to health care.
Download the report data.
Published every two weeks, Insecurity Insight’s Attacks on Health Care New Brief tracks global threats and violence as well as protests and other events affecting the delivery of and access to health care. Explore our interactive map to see where incidents happened.
Health care provision has unique characteristics that shape its specific exposure to security risks in conflict zones. The Security Risk Management for Health Care (SR4H) Handbook provides guidance on how to implement a range of actions intended to promote respectful and violence-free environments and prepare individuals or organisations to face and respond appropriately to violent incidents, also dealing with the aftermath of such events. While this handbook is primarily aimed at health programme managers providing frontline services, it is also highly relevant for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working with partners who implement healthcare services. The handbook is available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish.