Cúcuta, Colombia, February 5th, 2021 – Amid the pandemic, Scalabrinians continue to assist the migrant population and refugees who arrive in the city of Cúcuta irregularly due to the closing of borders with all kinds of needs that the crisis in the neighboring country has generated, in addition to the global health emergency.

Given the lack of this right in their country of origin, migrants receive health services at the Centro de Migraciones. At the same time, the arriving population is placed in isolation for prevention with the other guests, while they enjoy all the services of the house, to which they do not have any type of access because they do not have the documentation to be treated in public health entities.

Our commitment is to protect migrants, an objective that we achieve with several partners to assist the population. The organization Americares that assists the Venezuelan and Colombian population that is not affiliated with the subsidized regime, serves the hosted population with general medicine, psychology, and prescriptions.

Around 40 patients are treated each day by our partners, including children, adults, pregnant women, the population that comes to the center with different skin conditions, diarrhea, allergies, and advanced stages of malnutrition in boys and girls.

Women of reproductive age (between 15 and 49 years old) who arrive with the family nucleus request to receive advice on family planning, this reinforces human rights, as well as important health benefits.

Medications are supplied according to pathologies; among those most supplied are dewormers, vitamins, and prescriptions to control high blood pressure, respiratory infections, among others.

In a virtual meeting between the local government and academics, the Secretary of Borders and International Cooperation of Norte de Santander, Víctor Bautista assured that “it would be very serious if Venezuelans began to have giant mortality or lethality figures for not having guarantees of a system of health protection.”

Another way to support these people in a vulnerable condition is with guidance and legal advice. We strive to guarantee that people have access to refugee status, which makes it easier for them to obtain safe-conduct so that they can be cared for by the entities in health when they follow their destination route within the country.

Source: https://www.scalabrinicucuta.org/post/https-www-scalabrinicucuta-org-americares-cm