Colombia’s 5-year public health strategy for palliative care: Implementation protocol

Background: In recent years, Colombia has evolved from having isolated palliative care services to becoming a leader in the field. The country has enacted pioneering palliative care legislation and established the Colombian Observatory of Palliative Care to support research and advocacy. These efforts have addressed regional needs and barriers, and Colombia has also developed compassionate communities to support those with serious illnesses. In line with global health initiatives, a comprehensive public health action plan has been created, focusing on underserved areas and including new legislation to enhance palliative care education. However, implementing these plans in conflict-affected regions remains a significant challenge. With support from the Ministry of Health, the Observatory will lead the implementation process, starting with stakeholder analysis and collaborative efforts to identify effective solutions. Objectives: Through stakeholder focus groups, this study aims to develop a comprehensive methodology for implementing the National Palliative Care Plan in three rural regions of Colombia. Design and methods: Through a participatory action research approach, we conducted two distinct workshops. The first workshop is dedicated to analyzing the current context and generating feasible solutions, while the second workshop builds on these solutions to formulate collaborative strategies. Each workshop engages a diverse array of stakeholders, including patients, healthcare professionals, and policymakers, among others, to ensure comprehensive representation. The workshops are organized with presentations, facilitated discussions, and roundtable sessions to address various palliative care domains. Data gathered from these discussions are recorded, transcribed, and subjected to thematic analysis to report the process of building collaborative networks in palliative care. This process will facilitate the development of actionable, sustainable solutions tailored to regional needs and provide a methodological framework that other countries can adapt to implement their palliative care plan. Conclusion: There is growing health interest in developing national palliative care plans. However, effective implementation remains challenging, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This protocol describes the co-creation of a stakeholder-focused methodology for developing palliative care in Colombia.