Continuous Learning for Adaptive Management: Rapid Response Teams' Case

COVID-19 has been challenging the health systems around the world in every way possible. For the Local Health System Sustainability Project (LHSS) in Colombia, one of the main challenges was effectively supporting the Ministry of Health (MoH) and local authorities in the deployment and implementation of Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to provide the best care possible during the pandemic. In September 2020, the project started deploying the first version of RRTs in 34 districts and departments, known as RRT 1.0. The RRT 1.0 trained more than 19,000 HRH and 19,000 community participants in COVID-19 and related topics, assisted more than 500 healthcare institutions, developed epidemiological bulletins on COVID-19, and technically guided the consolidation of all the COVID-19 case reports. However, the process has not been easy; we faced challenges around management during an emergency, the capacity of the local authorities, and our capacity to reflect and change strategies as a project during the process. Implementing the CLA approach early, during the first phase of the RRTs deployment, made a real difference. The lessons learned during that process helped us re-assess the implementation of the second and third phases of RRTs and allowed us to use the knowledge gained for improvement. It is not a perfect process, but it has helped us strengthen the relationships with the MoH, local authorities, and health personnel during the last two years. Through those relationships, it has been easier to reflect and collectively create new and innovative strategies to improve the country's response to COVID-19. This case shows how we incorporated the CLA approach to the solution-making process of the challenges derivate from the RRTs deployment and implementation. We know now that the lessons learned in this process can help other emergency responses in the future.