Bringing health services by river to Indigenous communities in Colombia’s Amazon – PAHO/WHO

William spends much of his day fishing along the Yapú River. Over time, he began to notice that simple tasks—such as threading a fishing hook—were taking him longer and longer. Sometimes, he would spend hours trying.

Under the Colombian Amazon sun, William squints as he looks at the small device a doctor is holding in front of him. Bright sunlight has always caused him discomfort, he says. “When the sun is very strong, my eyes start to close,” William explains.

Today, for the first time in his life, a specialist is assessing his vision.

To receive specialized care, people living in riverside communities normally need to travel long distances by boat and, in many cases, combine the journey with air transportation to reach Mitú, the capital of Vaupés in southeastern Colombia. The cost and complexity of the trip often lead people to delay seeking care—or never seek care at all.

This time, however, it was the health team that came to them.

Located along the banks of the Yapú River, the community received a visit from optometrists and ophthalmologists equipped with portable devices capable of assessing refractive errors, measuring eye pressure, and capturing retinal images within minutes. For many residents, it was the first eye examination of their lives.

William’s assessment was part of a health mission organized by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in partnership with GoodVision, which facilitates access to eyeglasses; Aldeia em Foco, which works with Indigenous communities in the Amazon; and the Vaupés Departmental Health Secretariat.

The mission brought essential health services closer to Indigenous communities along the Yapú River and forms part of an integrated approach promoted by PAHO to address multiple health needs among people in situations of vulnerability.