Sebastián León-Giraldo

This comprehensive study aimed to investigate the consequences of long-term internal conflict for population health, the health system, and post-conflict health policymaking. The in-depth study focused on the experiences surrounding the conflict and the peace agreement in Colombia. Since 1958, an estimated 220,000 people died due to civil conflict in Colombia, and more than six million (13% of the population) were forcibly displaced. The peace accord, agreed upon in December 2016 between the largest rebel group and the Colombian government, ended hostilities, creating a unique window of opportunity to conduct research with immediate policy relevance.

As a researcher based at the Universidad de los Andes, I participated in this project, which aimed to provide much-needed evidence on issues such as the consequences of conflict for health service organization and delivery, and the impact on often overlooked populations, including internally displaced families and the poorest groups, focusing on their post-conflict health needs.

The project employed several methods to answer these questions:

• Quantitative Work:
• Relied on survey data collected by the team and pre-existing data, analyzed using state-of-the-art techniques.
• Qualitative and Historic Analyses:
• Utilized focus groups with residents of selected municipalities.
• Conducted interviews with national and local government officials and civil society representatives.
• Examined publicly available official documents and historic administrative datasets.

These comprehensive methods generated a uniquely rich portrait of the consequences of civil conflicts for the health and health system.