The invisible frontline: experiences of public health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and health emergencies in Colombia.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline workers were widely recognized for their efforts, with an emphasis largely placed on clinical personnel providing individual care. However, public health workers, who played a critical role in managing the pandemic from a population wide perspective, received far less attention. This paper explores the experiences of public health frontline (PHF) workers in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting their role in virus identification, surveillance, and guiding public health responses. Methods: Using a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews ( Results: The structural conditions that influenced public health responses in Colombia, shedding light on the necessity of a robust public health workforce for emergency preparedness. All the work realized to respond from a collective health perspective was performed by a PHF who felt that they were Conclusion: The lack of a clear definition of the public health frontline during the pandemic rendered essential workers in this sector invisible, leading to less recognition compared to clinical healthcare staff and affecting their well-being, safety, and motivation.