Colombia creates technical health committees to ensure continuity during government transitions

Colombia is establishing interdisciplinary technical committees to oversee the health sector during administrative transitions, known as "empalmes." These bodies will include public policy experts, health professionals, administrators, auditors and, in some cases, citizen representatives.

Their mandate is to evaluate the current state of health programs, review management indicators and results, identify risks such as budget shortfalls, drug shortages or infrastructure gaps, and issue concrete recommendations for the incoming administration. Key program areas under review include primary health care, vaccination, maternal‑infant health, chronic diseases and mental health. The committees aim to guarantee transparency, data consistency and the uninterrupted delivery of services throughout the hand‑over period.