By: Khristel Zavaleta Gamarra, Digital Transformation Consultant, RMEI
A total of 66 people —including 44 volunteer collaborators (ColVol) and 22 professionals from health service providers (IPS/ESE) and laboratories— have already been trained in the use of digital tools designed to strengthen the timely and traceable reporting of malaria samples in Colombia.
The training was carried out as part of a pilot led by the Regional Malaria Elimination Initiative (RMEI), administered by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in collaboration with the National Institute of Health (INS). This initiative seeks to modernize field data collection processes as part of a broader strategy to eradicate malaria in endemic areas of the country.
Between May 19 and 21, 2025, a technical mission visited the department of Chocó to launch the first training sessions in the municipality of Quibdó. During this stage, participants received practical instruction, solved technical questions, and conducted real-time testing with the new tools:
- A web form, aimed at laboratory, IPS, and ESE technical staff.
- A WhatsApp bot, designed for ColVols, which allows samples to be reported from any mobile phone in a quick and accessible way.
During the mission, support materials were also distributed, and guidelines were shared so that local facilitators could replicate the training in new areas of the department.
This pilot, which already has active reports, has been key to evaluating the functionality of the digital solutions under real operating conditions. Thanks to this phase, technical and logistical adjustments have been identified for a potential nationwide scale-up.
The initiative is not an isolated effort. It is part of a progressive process of digital innovation that RMEI has been promoting in Colombia and other countries in the region. Its objective is clear: to contribute to the sustainable elimination of malaria through the strengthening of local capacities, the strategic use of technology, and the effective coordination of national, departmental, and community actors.
The experience in Quibdó demonstrates that digitalization, when built from the ground up and with the active participation of local actors, can make a real difference in the fight against diseases that continue to affect the most vulnerable populations in Latin America.