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A quarter of a century promoting good treatment toward children: a little bit of ...

A quarter of a century promoting good treatment toward children: a little bit of Rodrigo Solarte's story!

With a very moving gathering at our Faculty of Health Sciences, we commemorated 25 years of continuous work around the Promotion of Good Treatment, a valuable initiative that fills our hearts. Thus, on October 25, we came together in this space that seeks to establish good treatment as a pillar in the upbringing of children and adolescents, and we had the fortune of speaking with Rodrigo Olmedo Solarte Paz, a retired professor of our Alma Mater, who has dedicated much of his life to promoting this important topic.

The XXV Good Treatment Promotion Day featured a full agenda. The book “Rico Buen Trato: Experiences from a 25-Year Process” was presented, a series of lectures on parenting were held, and a workshop focused on sound connection and body awareness was conducted.

This academic reflection space, essential for promoting respect in parenting, is especially relevant given the alarming figures of violence against children and adolescents in Colombia. Between January and March of this year, 11,427 cases of neglect and abuse and 177 child homicides were reported, according to the Office of the Inspector General and the National Institute of Legal Medicine. These data underscore the urgency of continuing to cultivate spaces for analysis and action regarding good treatment.

In this regard, we spoke with Dr. Rodrigo Olmedo Solarte Paz, a pediatrician and emeritus professor at the University of Cauca, who shared details of his more than 25-year career promoting good treatment for children in Cauca. His work focuses on an interdisciplinary approach known as “Social Pediatrics,” which arises from the need to go beyond purely clinical and hospital-based care.

This is how an interest in promoting good treatment for children emerged and began to take shape, an interest that was strengthened by the Popular Education Group of the University of Cauca and complemented by workshops attended by Dr. Rodrigo on Family Medicine and Health. Combined with Primary Care, these experiences facilitated the development of Social Pediatrics at the University of Cauca. With the Family Health approach, it began to be taught in the Nursing and Pediatrics programs at this academic institution.

“This process began as an interest that grew not only interinstitutionally but also interdisciplinarily, involving areas such as Psychology, Anthropology, and Sociology. It was also influenced by my personal sensitivity and my rural roots, as I was born in a rural community of El Tambo, Cauca. At that time, both the government and departmental and municipal programs promoted Primary Care and the protection of abused children. This gave rise to the idea of organizing teamwork and, eventually, creating the network,” stated Dr. Rodrigo, recalling with fondness the beginnings of the RICO BUEN TRATO Interinstitutional Community Network for Good Treatment of Children.

It is important to highlight that Dr. Rodrigo Solarte is a distinguished professional whose academic trajectory and commitment to childhood are evident. He began his training at the University of Cauca, where he earned his medical degree, and continued his postgraduate studies in Pediatrics at the University of Antioquia. His dedication and academic excellence allowed him to receive a scholarship from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), through which he specialized in Clinical and Social Pediatrics in Santiago, Chile. This international training enriched his professional practice, which focuses on comprehensive care for children, encompassing both clinical attention and the social well-being of his patients.

“Previously, Growth and Development Monitoring was very quantitative, focusing on weight, height, maternal nutrition, vaccination, a few pieces of advice, and nothing more. However, progressively, with the focus on Primary Care and through our interactions with Community Homes of the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare, this care began to change, taking other aspects into account. This is how we initiated that interinstitutional relationship between the Health Sciences, Family Welfare, and at that time, Social Security,” explained Dr. Rodrigo.

His trajectory is indeed remarkable: for over 25 years, Dr. Rodrigo Olmedo Solarte has worked collaboratively and in networks with students, community mothers, and professionals, promoting initiatives to prevent child violence and foster parenting based on respect and understanding. One of these initiatives is the radio program Crianza Feliz, broadcast by Unicauca Estéreo since 2001, which aims to promote family well-being.

From the University of Cauca, we deeply appreciate Dr. Rodrigo’s dedication and the impact of his work, an impact that continues today through the Good Treatment Promotion Days, fundamental initiatives for building a safe and protective environment for our children, an area that must be a shared commitment in light of the painful realities we are facing.

Thank you, Professor, for your commitment and for planting love in the new generations!