Community-Based Surveillance in Putumayo is showing how preparedness for future health emergencies can begin at the local level. Through a joint initiative involving the National Institute of Health and the Departmental Health Secretariat, with support from the PROTECT project, communities are strengthening their ability to identify health risks early, issue timely alerts, and respond with practical local solutions.
The initiative has engaged community leaders, Indigenous Peoples, other ethnic communities, young people, and older adults across Putumayo. Participants have taken part in workshops on the signs and symptoms of yellow fever and rash-related illnesses, using interactive learning methods and the Community-Based Surveillance tool linked to SIVIGILA.
The experience demonstrates that community-based surveillance is more than disease detection and reporting. In Putumayo, it has become a platform for comprehensive risk management under the One Health approach, connecting human, animal, environmental, and social health.
Community monitors have helped promote safer environments through local actions focused on solid waste management, pest-related risks, zoonotic diseases, mental health, women’s support networks, and care for older adults. These efforts show how communities can transform everyday health challenges into opportunities to protect collective well-being.
The Community Surveillance Network is also strengthening cooperation between communities and institutions. By improving local communication and coordination, the network is helping territories anticipate risks, generate timely responses, and build stronger preparedness for future public health threats and pandemics.
The PROTECT project, formally known as Pandemic Response Optimization Through Engaged Communities and Territories, aims to improve early detection and response capacities across participating countries in the Amazon Basin. The project promotes multisectoral and multilevel cooperation among health, agriculture, community, and institutional partners.
The initiative is implemented through collaboration among the Ministries of Health and Agriculture of seven countries, the Pan American Health Organization, the World Bank, and PAHO’s Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Center and Veterinary Public Health Center. In Putumayo, the project highlights how community engagement can become a powerful foundation for healthier, safer, and more resilient territories.
