What we do?
We identify Social Innovation initiatives in Health

With PAHO support, we issue calls for proposals every two years to identify, recognize, and highlight social initiatives in health that contribute to social transformation in health in Latin America and the Caribbean. We seek initiatives with a high degree of innovation, community participation, potential for scaling up and sustainability over time, and a positive impact on community health.
Focus: Global call for proposals led by SIHI Global.


Focus: provision of health services in Central America and the Caribbean.



Focus: improving access to health care, quality of health care, and treatment of poverty-related infectious diseases in five countries in the Andean region (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela).





This call for proposals was co-led by the Pan American Health Organization and the National Autonomous University of Honduras.
Enfoque: Innovaciones sociales en salud en el marco de la pandemia del COVID-19.



Learn more



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Focus: PAHO SIHI-LAC 2023 Call for Social Innovation.





We strengthen capacities to promote research in social innovation in health

We offer training opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean to strengthen the capacities needed to generate evidence and promote social innovation in health in the region. We also develop tools that seek to contribute to the visibility, sustainability, and impact of the initiatives identified and recognized through our calls for proposals.
- Social Innovation and Community Engagement in Implementation Research
- Telling your story to drive impact in healthcare delivery
- Implementation research massive open online course (MOOC) – incorporating an intersectional gender perspective in implementation research
Here you can find the following courses:
- Implementation Research MOOC
- Buenas Prácticas de Investigación en Salud (BPIS)
- Ética en proyectos de Investigación de la Implementación
- Planeación y Evaluación Efectivas en Proyectos de Investigación en Salud
- Principios de Investigación de la Implementación
- Taller “Comunicar y capitalizar nuestras iniciativas en innovación social. ¿Qué estrategias tenemos a nuestra disposición para divulgar efectivamente nuestros proyectos?”
- Taller teórico-práctico “Metodologías de Investigación Participativa Basadas en la Comunidad”
We have consolidated a multidisciplinary internship program to train leaders in social innovation in health with the ability to contribute to improving the quality of life of communities and the regional ecosystem. Throughout the program, activities are developed related to the generation of knowledge in social innovation in health, co-creation of educational materials, fieldwork for community research, and Social Appropriation of Knowledge.
Meet our national and international interns.
Research to strengthen evidence in Social Innovation in Health
We promote research in social innovation in health as a fundamental strategy for documenting the achievements and challenges of SSI initiatives, maximizing the reach of these innovative solutions, and promoting their replicability, sustainability, and scalability.
We invite you to explore our collection of publications, which includes studies, educational resources, and reports that drive change and strengthen collaboration in the development of more inclusive and sustainable health systems in the region.
Our publications:
- Innovación social en salud: concepto y práctica.
Tucker JD, Manderson L, Amazigo U, et al. - Identificación de criterios de la innovación social en salud.
Duque-Paz LF, Castro-Arroyave D. - La innovación social en el ámbito de la salud: un componente crítico pero ignorado de la respuesta a la pandemia de COVID-19.
Moscibrodzki P, Li J, Peeling RW, et al. - Crowdfunding para la investigación en salud: una revisión sistemática, síntesis de la evidencia cualitativa y piloto de TDR para los investigadores de LMIC.
Kpokiri, Eneyi Edith et al. - Declaración conjunta de consenso internacional sobre concursos de desafíos de crowdsourcing en salud y medicina: resultados de un proceso Delphi modificado.
Han L, Tang W, Ritchwood T, et al. - Explorando la Innovación social en salud en América Central y el Caribe.
Mothe J, Vacaflor LE, Castro-Arroyave DM, Cuervo LG, Gore Saravia N. - Investigación Documental de Innovación Social para la Salud.
Castro-Arroyave, D.M., Duque-Paz, L.F. - Las universidades como catalizadores de la innovación social en los sistemas de salud en países de ingresos bajos y medianos: un estudio de caso de varios países.
van Niekerk, L., Mathanga, D.P., Juban, N. et al.
- Control integrado de vectores de la enfermedad de Chagas en Guatemala: un caso de innovación social en salud.
Castro-Arroyave, D., Monroy, M.C. & Irurita, M.I. - Innovación Social en Salud: Investigación, políticas públicas y resiliencia en el programa Zika Kids de Colombia.
Daza M, Bautista-Gomez MM, Zuluaga LS, et al. - Un modelo de innovación social para el acceso equitativo a servicios de salud de calidad para poblaciones rurales: el caso de la localidad de Sumapaz (Bogotá, Colombia).
Bautista-Gómez, M.M., van Niekerk, L. - Construyendo el ecosistema de innovación social para la salud en América Latina: experiencias y aprendizajes del SIHI-LAC.
Van Niekerk L, Echavarria MI, Alger J. - Innovación social en salud: lecciones para avanzar hacia la equidad. Antología de experiencias en América Latina.
OPS et al. Innovación social en salud: lecciones para avanzar hacia la equidad. OPS; 2025. Disponible en: https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/68812
- Barreras para la atención de la leishmaniasis cutánea en comunidades indígenas de zonas rurales de Colombia (estudio cualitativo).
Bautista-Gomez, M.M., Doerfler, J. & del Mar Castro, M. - La Apropiación Social del Conocimiento y su contribución en la prevención de la leishmaniasis cutánea en las comunidades rurales.
Agudelo Paipilla K, Castro-Arroyave DM, Guzmán Grajales L, et al. - Una descripción de los métodos innovadores mundiales para el desarrollo del paquete de participación comunitaria de la OMS.
Bayugo YV, Labarda M, Cruz JRB, et al. - Paquete de participación comunitaria de la OMS: refuerzo de un enfoque inclusivo de la salud pública mundial.
Omoleke, S.A., Bayugo, Y.V., Oyene, U.E., et al.
In this section, you will find practical guides, tools, and other educational resources that will help you develop skills in social innovation in health.

Chamas, L, & van Niekerk, L. (2016).

Chamas, L, & van Niekerk, L. (2016).

Pinto, L. & Irurita, M. (2018).

Irurita, M. & Pinto, L. (2018).


Castro-Arroyave, D. & Bautista, M. (2020).

UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/ WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, Geneva: Social Innovation in Health Initiative.

Bautista, M., Agudelo, K. & Castro-Arroyave, D. (2020).
We organize meeting spaces for the SIHI LAC community: Our Café Virtual
Café Virtual is a bimonthly webinar that, since 2018, has brought together individuals and institutions from different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to exchange ideas and experiences on social innovation in health. We create a space for collective learning on this topic and others related to community health, digital health, crowdfunding, community-based methodologies, among others.
Sign up here to receive invitations to upcoming sessions.
We organize and participate in events to strengthen the global ecosystem of Social Innovation in Health
The Hub has succeeded in strengthening capacities and knowledge in Social Innovation in Health through webinars, workshops, conferences, and meetings. These events have brought together experts, academics, innovators, leaders, and community members, who have shared lessons learned and knowledge based on the experiences of their initiatives. Each event has been an opportunity to exchange ideas, explore new methodologies, and foster collaboration among various actors in the field of health in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Health Innovators Meeting, held at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Washington, D.C.
At the event held at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Washington, D.C., awards were presented to the three outstanding innovations from the PAHO-SIHI LAC 2023 call for proposals. In addition, valuable lessons and best practices from previous innovations were shared, promoting knowledge exchange and strengthening the commitment to a more inclusive and equitable future for health.

SIHI LAC Hub at the Global Meeting of Social Innovation Hubs in Health in Cape Town
SIHI LAC participated in the Global Meeting of Social Innovation Hubs in Health, sharing experiences and knowledge with other participants. This event brought together actors and institutions dedicated to addressing health challenges through social innovation, promoting collaboration and the design of strategies for a healthier and more equitable future for all.

Catalysing Change Week
Catalyst 2030's Catalyzing Change Week (CCW) was an event that brought together the world's most innovative changemakers to collaborate, co-create, and share experiences. In this context, the SIHI-LAC Hub organized the session “Social Innovation in Health as a Catalyst for Change,” where we shared how we are transforming communities in Latin America and the Caribbean through social innovation in health.

Social Innovation Meeting for the Health of Indigenous Communities
On November 13, 2025, the Social Innovation for Indigenous Community Health Meeting was held, a space designed to promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences among innovators, communities, strategic allies, and key actors in the health sector. The purpose of this event was to reflect on the challenges and opportunities in health care in indigenous communities, highlighting the importance of social innovation as a tool for promoting equity and inclusion in health systems.
We promote the social appropriation of knowledge
We engage in projects that seek to improve social realities in health through knowledge sharing, intersectoral and interinstitutional collaboration, active participation, and community empowerment. We promote knowledge exchange between communities, health professionals, and other key actors to create innovative and sustainable solutions. Our work focuses on involving communities in the decision-making process from the perspective of democratizing knowledge.


