On May 9 and 10, a workshop on Theory of Change was held with the participation of 27 professionals from the Colombian Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) team, under the direction and expertise of Dr. Orielle Soler Hormazbal, Chief Unit, DHE/HP Was. PAHO, the purpose of which was to strengthen the ability to use this methodological tool that allows reflection on health inequalities and their relationship with social determinants of health, as well as develop pathways of adequate and appropriate solutions according to the specifics on their basis. does. from the reality of the country
This workshop is part of the context of PAHO technical cooperation through the Special Initiative for Social Determinants of Health and Equity in Colombia, collaboration with the country office and the commitment of Dr. Gina Tambini Gomez, PAHO/WHO Representative in Colombia, to the country Continuously strengthen the technical competence of the staff to provide appropriate and quality technical support.
Implementation of the Special Initiative on Social Determinants in the Americas Region, which is carried out in five countries including Colombia, includes the development of the Theory of Change methodology as a tool to address the social determinants of health. Equity in health and well-being at both national and local government levels.
So far, principle of change workshops have been developed with the participation of representatives from Ministries of Health, other sectors at the central level, and local governments in Chile, Costa Rica, and Colombia.
Theory of Change is a thought-action approach that helps teams or groups identify milestones, tasks, and conditions to move toward desired change. It has proved to be a powerful tool for introducing the desired change on the basis of: i) realistic analysis of the context; ii) assessment of process facility capabilities; iii) identification of the mechanisms that cause the problems, as well as those that support possible solutions, and iv) critical interpretation of the underlying assumptions of both the problem(s) and the solution(s).
