During the 2024–2025 biennium, PAHO provided sustained technical cooperation to strengthen Jamaica’s preparedness for health emergencies and climate-related shocks. Support focused on strengthening governance, operational readiness, and human resource capacity under an all-hazards approach, with a particular focus on disaster risk reduction and health system resilience.

PAHO delivered Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) training to subnational health workers, strengthened disaster risk management programs, facilitated national risk analysis processes, and supported laboratory preparedness for emerging and epidemic-prone pathogens. In parallel, initiatives under Smart Health Care Facilities enhanced the structural and functional resilience of priority facilities. These actions improved coordination, decision-making, surveillance continuity, and response capacity across the health sector.

The effectiveness of this preparedness investment was demonstrated during Hurricane Melissa in October 2025. As the hurricane caused damage to 5 hospitals and more than 60 primary health care centers, PAHO supported rapid damage assessments and worked with national authorities to prioritize critical response actions. Trained HEOC personnel enabled faster mobilization, clearer communication, and more coordinated decision-making, while strengthened surveillance systems and laboratory capacity – particularly for leptospirosis – were leveraged to monitor and respond to emerging health threats.

PAHO coordinated the deployment of emergency medical teams to restore frontline care and supported targeted water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions in health facilities, reducing outbreak risk. Mental health and psychosocial support was integrated into the response, with staff trained and outreach coordinated for groups in situations of vulnerability. In partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and Médecins Sans Frontières, emergency repairs were carried out to reestablish essential services, including maternal care, chronic disease management, and outbreak response. Smart health care facilities supported through PAHO remained operational, safeguarding continuity of essential services in affected areas.

Overall, these combined preparedness and response efforts reduced service disruptions, strengthened protection for populations in situations of vulnerability, and enhanced Jamaica’s resilience to future climate-related and public health emergencies. 

Photo caption: Wash assessment at the Mandeville Regional Hospital after Hurricane Melissa.

Credit: PAHO Jamaica