Colombia Deploys Field Hospital in Venezuela
Colombia has deployed a field hospital to Venezuela to support victims of the twin earthquakes that struck the country on 24 June, shifting its humanitarian response from search-and-rescue operations to medical care. The mission is led by Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) and the Ministry of Health, while the Colombian Aerospace Force transported the hospital, personnel, and humanitarian supplies to Venezuela.
The deployment follows a request from Venezuelan authorities as hospitals continue treating thousands of injured people after the disaster, which has left at least 2,954 people dead and more than 16,000 injured, according to the latest official reports.
The humanitarian mission departed carrying the deployable medical facility, medicines, emergency supplies, and health care personnel. According to UNGRD, the hospital belongs to Fundación Hospital San Rafael and will operate in Caracas, where it will reinforce medical services supporting patients transferred from the country’s hardest-hit areas.
The deployment marks the latest stage of Colombia’s humanitarian assistance following the earthquakes.
Field hospital expands Colombia’s emergency response
The field hospital will be staffed by 35 members of EMT Colombia, the country’s internationally certified emergency medical team. UNGRD said the facility can treat up to 150 patients each day and is expected to remain operational for approximately two and a half months as Venezuelan health services continue to recover from the earthquakes.
The deployment follows the completion of the Colombian Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR COL-1) mission, during which its members spent several days supporting rescue operations in the affected areas. After completing that phase, Colombian authorities redirected their assistance toward medical care by sending doctors, nurses, and emergency specialists, along with a deployable hospital capable of operating independently of damaged medical facilities.
The Colombian Aerospace Force transported the hospital and its personnel as part of the humanitarian air bridge established between the two countries. Since the earthquakes, military aircraft have carried rescue teams, specialized equipment, and humanitarian supplies, while UNGRD and the Ministry of Health have coordinated Colombia’s overall response with Venezuelan authorities.
Medical assistance becomes the next priority
The earthquakes caused their greatest damage in the coastal state of La Guaira, where several hospitals and health centres suffered structural damage, increasing pressure on Venezuela’s healthcare system. The Colombian field hospital will operate in Caracas, where authorities have concentrated medical resources to receive patients transferred from the most affected regions and maintain healthcare services while damaged facilities are repaired.
The mission represents the second stage of Colombia’s emergency response after the completion of search-and-rescue operations. Instead of deploying additional rescue personnel, the latest flight delivered a complete medical facility capable of providing consultations, emergency treatment, patient stabilization, and primary healthcare services for people affected by the earthquakes.
Officials said the hospital was designed to reinforce, rather than replace, local medical services. Its personnel will work alongside Venezuelan healthcare teams while existing hospitals continue recovering their operational capacity.
Colombian authorities said the field hospital will remain in Venezuela for as long as emergency conditions require additional medical support. The operation reflects ongoing cooperation between the two neighbouring countries as humanitarian agencies continue responding to one of the deadliest natural disasters to affect the region in recent years.