ColVol Malaria: A Community Strategy for Access to the Right to Health in Nuquí, Chocó

For malaria care in Colombia, various strategies and intervention projects have been implemented; however, significant challenges persist in achieving high coverage of health services, particularly in highly dispersed and hard-to-reach rural areas. The primary strategy for malaria control is the implementation of DTIR (Diagnosis, Treatment, Investigation, and Response), which is based on the principle that humans are the sole reservoir of the disease. Therefore, efforts must focus on actively identifying all individuals who have acquired the infection to ensure they receive timely treatment, which has proven to be highly effective in curing patients.

The Malaria Volunteer Collaborators strategy (ColVol) in the municipality of Nuquí, over its two years of implementation, has significantly strengthened timely malaria diagnosis and treatment among Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, thereby promoting access to the fundamental right to health. This initiative has helped reduce existing gaps within communities by ensuring the timely availability of rapid diagnostic tests and antimalarial medications in geographically remote areas, thus minimizing geographic and social barriers to healthcare access.

Furthermore, the work of the volunteers has been characterized by commitment, dedication, and a strong sense of social responsibility, making a substantial contribution to local public health. In this context, the ColVol strategy has made an exemplary contribution to strengthening malaria prevention, control, and elimination efforts in the municipality of Nuquí.