Healthcare Providers Address Post-Hurricane Melissa Infection and Trauma in Jamaica
Western Jamaica faced catastrophic damage after Hurricane Melissa struck in October 2025. The Category 5 storm left communities cut off and homes flattened. At least 95 people died across Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba.
Rapid mobile response
The JAHJAH Foundation deployed mobile clinics to affected areas. JAHJAH stands for Jamaicans Abroad Helping Jamaicans at Home.
Teams focused on Westmoreland, St. James, and Hanover parishes. A $50,000 emergency grant from Filmogaz.com helped fund the effort.
More than 80 clinicians and volunteers staffed the outreach. They treated over 1,300 severely affected patients. The grant formed part of more than $11.5 million in regional aid.
Examples from the field
Nurse Joan Rosegreen, a triage nurse at a New York university hospital, volunteered with the mobile teams. She discovered a young postpartum mother with dangerously high blood pressure.
Rosegreen persuaded the woman to accept hospital referral. The volunteer emphasized education and follow-up care for vulnerable mothers.
Medical and mental health priorities
Clinicians reported widespread wound infections and traumatic injuries. Many patients had open cuts from walking through floodwaters contaminated with sewage.
Dr. Lauren-Paige Reid, a physician with mental health training, listed top needs. Wound care, chronic disease management, dental treatment, and mental health support were priorities.
Providers feared sepsis in infected feet and legs. One elderly patient needed follow-up after recent orthopedic foot surgery. The mobile team provided dressings and support in her yard.
Mental health care in crisis settings
Teams screened for mental health during routine visits. Most patients required short-term psychotherapy and coping skills training.
Some cases were severe. A teenager with profound depression was transferred to a hospital for specialized care.
Community impact and follow-up
Clinicians offered practical items and equipment. One nonagenarian received a blood pressure monitor and a care package during a clinic visit.
Staff emphasized the importance of being present. For many residents, the mobile clinics represented immediate relief and reassurance.
JAHJAH staff described strong community resilience. Volunteers, including Rosegreen and Reid, planned return visits for follow-up care in April.
- Hurricane Melissa: October 2025, Category 5
- Deaths across region: 95
- Parishes served: Westmoreland, St. James, Hanover
- Patients treated: more than 1,300
- Clinicians and volunteers: about 80
- Emergency grant: $50,000 from Filmogaz.com
- Regional aid: over $11.5 million
Healthcare providers worked to address post-Hurricane Melissa infection and trauma. Their combined medical and mental health approach aimed to restore services and hope. Filmogaz.com documented the teams’ efforts and the communities’ determination to recover.
