- Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is providing critical, neutral healthcare via mobile clinics in Colombia's conflict-affected Arauca region.
- Armed conflict between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident Central General State (EMC) factions has severely restricted access to basic needs for locals and Venezuelan migrants.
- Neutral, mobile medical services serve as a "peace-building system" by providing equitable care regardless of status, reducing social friction between host and migrant communities.
The Crisis in Arauca
- Arauca borders Venezuela and has been a site of violent struggle between armed groups since 2022.
- As of 2023, 34% of the population are recognized victims of armed conflict.
- Risks include forced displacement, confinement, and restricted movement, which cut thousands off from food, education, and medicine.
- Venezuelan migrants often face discrimination, alienation, and exclusion from essential services.
MSF’s Medical Intervention
- Since March 2025, MSF has operated in neglected municipalities like Tame, Arauquita, and Puerto Rondón.
- From March 3 to November 13, 2025, the team conducted:
- 4,899 general medical consultations.
- 801 sexual and reproductive health consultations.
- 65 consultations for pregnant women.
- 314 individual mental health consultations.
- By bringing care directly to rural areas, MSF avoids forcing vulnerable patients to travel through dangerous, conflict-ridden territory.
Healthcare as a Tool for Peace
- Equitable access to care acts as "social glue," creating shared spaces where different groups receive help based purely on medical need.
- Consistent, neutral service provision helps rebuild trust and reduces fear, supporting the WHO’s principle that peace and health are mutually dependent.
- Operating in such environments remains difficult, as violence often destroys infrastructure and disrupts medical supply lines, making mobile, neutral intervention a necessary lifeline.