Table 1 Colombia’s health system response

Country characteristics

∙ Colombia is an upper middle income economy with a mixed health system (at all levels of health care) that provides both public and privately-funded care [12].

∙ Bogotá, the capital city of 7.4 million people, has experienced the majority of cases (approximately 30 %) of the country throughout the epidemic [13]. It has one point five general practitioners and 0.4 specialists for every 1,000 inhabitants, and a total of 3,428 Internists which is the speciality that is most required to face the emergency [14].

Policy responses to COVID-19

∙ In March 2020, the government declared COVID 19 as an economic, social and ecological Emergency.

∙ In March 2020, the government authorised the early graduation of doctors-in-training to increase the resource of professionals.

∙ In May 2020, the government declared COVID-19 infections in health professionals as an occupational disease and allocated financial resources to respond.