With the ongoing crisis in Venezuela, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), sometimes rendered in English as Doctors Without Borders, recently began working in Riohacha, in the department of La Guajira, in northern Colombia, to meet the health needs of Venezuelan migrants, Colombians returning from Venezuela, and local people who lack health care.
They are also continuing to provide care to Venezuelan migrants in the border areas of Norte de Santander and Arauca, Colombia. In Riohacha, they provide outpatient care in Hospital Nuestra Señora de los Remedios and will soon begin mobile clinics in urban and rural areas around the city, offering primary health care, family planning, mental health care, and information on social services for migrants.
“In these first days, we have prioritized providing pregnant women with prenatal care,” said Elsa Soto, MSF project coordinator. “The patients that we have seen are all Venezuelan, and most of those who are pregnant have not received prenatal care before, in their second trimester of pregnancy. This is concerning, because prenatal care is essential to prevent and screen for complications and illnesses.”
