Bogotá, October 21, 2022. The Ministry of Health and Social Protection participated in the XII International Congress on Migration and Mental Health, which was held for the first time in Latin America, and which ended today at the Universidad Javeriana.
The Ministry recognizes the importance of this type of events, which encourages discussion around the guarantee of the fundamental right to health of citizens, whether nationals or not, from different perspectives, among which is an academic view.
With Colombia as one of the countries with the highest migration of Venezuelans and with significant internal mobility due to socio-political violence, which is related to factors such as poverty, discrimination, insecurity, homelessness, and the risk of violence before, during or after the migration process, there is a higher risk in the public of suffering from a mental disorder.
Administrative records available in Colombia show that the percentage of foreigners treated in health services was mainly due to a diagnosis of mental and behavioral disorders, going from 1.09% in 2017 to 1.51 in 2022.
By sex, the effects in 2020 were higher in women (1.65%) and in 2022 it was higher in men (1.63%). So far in 2022, 0.40% of all care provided to foreigners in health services corresponds to the main diagnosis of mental and behavioral disorders, where the percentage in 2020 was 0.33.
By age groups, in 2022, people over 80 years old (4.3%), 75-79 years old (3%), 5-14 years old (4.9%) are the most affected groups.
The number of cases of gender-based violence reported to Sivigila has been increasing, going from 631 in 2018 to 5,950 in 2021.
The figures above show that it is crucial to overcome situations such as social inequality, violence. And particularly, at the health system, it is necessary to move from disease-centered care to prevention and ensure that services reach all the residents of the territory, which is one of the priorities of the National Government, led by the president of the republic, Gustavo Petro, and the minister of health and social protection, Carolina Corcho.
Likewise, it reinforces the need to advance in the care of the migrant population and to continue efforts to perceive mental health as a priority, understanding it with a more holistic vision, linked to well-being and not from a disease perspective.
Finally, it is important to make it clear that, for the Government, mental health care is a priority and mental health requires being considered intrinsic to development, well-being and good living, at an institutional and community level, recognizing and addressing the impact of socio-political violence on mental health, and strengthening public health actions in a drug policy, in terms of human rights.
