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What we do?

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.

2015 Call

Focus: Global call for proposals led by SIHI Global.

Centro para el desarrollo de la investigación científica (CEDIC) - Paraguay
Programa de profesionalización de agentes indígenas de salud en la región de Alto Rio Negro - Brasil
2017 Call

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

Enfoque integral de salud para la enfermedad de Chagas - Guatemala
Enfoque eco-salud para combatir la enfermedad de Chagas - Guatemala
Mosquitiamed - Honduras
2019 Call

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).

Mamás del Río - Perú
Los Niños del Zika - Colombia
Modelo integral de salud para la ruralidad - Colombia
Iniciativas con mención de honor:
Modelo de atención preventivo con responsabilidad desde la familia y empoderamiento comunitario - Colombia
Hospital Padrino - Colombia
Bive Previene: Modelo de Gestión comunitario en Salud  -Colombia
2021 Call

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.

Santiago Utz´Ruwaach: Mitigación de riesgos durante la pandemia de Covid-19 en territorio Maya Tz´utujil de Guatemala - Guatemala
El Canto del Tucán: Radio, salud y pedagogía en la Amazonía colombiana - Colombia
La importancia de la comunicación comunitaria en la lucha contra la Covid-19 - Brasil

Learn more

MEDL - Trinidad y Tobago
Iniciativas con mención de honor:
Sanemos por igual - México
Turismo regional y salud - Trinidad y Tobago

Learn more

Telehealth Booth - Brasil
Unidad de Telesalud Ancora UC - Chile
2023 Call

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

Jovensalud.net plataforma gratuita para adolescentes - Costa Rica
E- Silver - Panama
Todos los artistas deben estar donde está la gente - Estrategia de vacunación extramural para la población sin hogar - Brasil
Iniciativas con mención de honor:
México Microclinic Social Network Program - México
Ana Autoestima - Brasil

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.

We offer training opportunities:

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”

Learn about our internship program:

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:

Case studies of recognized social innovations in health
In this section, you will find practical guides, tools, and other educational resources that will help you develop skills in social innovation in health.
Centro de desarrollo de investigaciones científicas / Paraguay

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

Programa de profesionalización de agentes de salud indígena en la región alto río negro / Brasil

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

Enfoque de salud integral para la enfermedad de Chagas / Guatemala

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

Enfoque eco-salud para combatir la enfermedad de Chagas / Guatemala

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

MosquitiaMed / Honduras

Castro, D. & Pinto, L. (2018).

Mamás del Río: Acceso a la salud - Salud maternoinfantil / Perú

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

Los niños del Zika: Enfermedades infecciosas asociadas a la pobreza / Colombia

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

Modelo de atención integral para zonas rurales: Acceso y calidad en la atención en salud / Colombia

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.

Social Appropriation of Knowledge Products
Manual educativo para líderes y comunidades “Prevención, diagnóstico y tratamiento de la leishmaniasis cutánea”.
Guía pedagógica - Juego de tarjetas y actividades educativas para la prevención de la leishmaniasis cutánea desde las comunidades.
Radionovela “Zumbidos en el Río”.
Póster titulado “La innovación Social en Salud, una Oportunidad en Tiempos de Crisis”.
ABC de la Apropiación Social del Conocimiento

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