Minciencias redirects 109,000 million COP in health research funds

Colombia's Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Minciencias) has terminated Call 978, a funding initiative originally intended to allocate 109,000 million COP toward national health sovereignty and research. The decision, formalized through Resolution 0813, follows a 7.4 magnitude earthquake on August 10, 2026, which triggered a national disaster declaration.

Minciencias stated that the earthquake substantially altered the conditions under which the original call was structured, affecting infrastructure and the capacity to conduct research. Rather than withdrawing the funds, the ministry will redirect the 109,000 million COP from the Health Research Fund (FIS) toward a new financing instrument.

This new initiative will be developed in coordination with the Ministry of Health to prioritize research into the sanitary consequences and health impacts caused by the earthquake. The process will focus on the territories most affected, as identified by the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD).