On October 28, 2025, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in southwest Jamaica, unleashing unprecedented winds and rainfall.
The Category 5 storm:
- killed 45 people in Jamaica and 95 people across the Caribbean;
- knocked out power for more than 75% of the island;
- displaced more than 125,000 people;
- distributed 688 hygiene kits and 688 NFI kits;
- caused more than $8.8 billion in damage; and
- destroyed several major hospitals and 101 health clinics.
Following landfall, International Medical Corps immediately deployed an emergency response team to Jamaica to assess conditions, identify service gaps and distribute essential supplies.
Our ImpactLeveraging relationships established during previous emergency responses and working closely with the Ministry of Health and local partners, the team—comprising two doctors, four nurses, one pharmacist, and logistics and programs staff—provided rapid on-the-ground support to affected communities and health facilities. We continue to support recovery efforts as communities rebuild from the catastrophic storm. |
Supporting Mandeville Regional Hospital
During the assessment phase, Mandeville Regional Hospital in Manchester Parish became the focal point of International Medical Corps’ response. Serving more than 600,000 people, the hospital experienced nearly double its pre-storm patient load, because so many surrounding facilities were damaged or destroyed.
To expand the hospital’s capacity to care for the increased number of patients, International Medical Corps:
- established a temporary overflow treatment unit outside of the hospital, increasing patient capacity by 30% and reducing pressure on the emergency department;
- delivered 10,450 units of medical supplies and consumables to support patient care;
- procured and donated 208 pieces of essential medical equipment and furniture for permanent use; and
- provided repair and rehabilitation support to damaged areas of the hospital to support facility operations and service expansion.
Medicines, Medical Equipment and Supplies
In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, damaged facilities and disrupted supply chains severely limited access to essential health services. To bolster the capacity of five health facilities across Manchester, Clarendon and Saint Elizabeth parishes, International Medical Corps procured and donated:
- 10,450 units of medical supplies and consumables, including PPE, bag-mask valves, glucose-test strips, exam-table rolls, otoscope tips and batteries;
- 139 pieces of medical equipment, including stethoscopes, diagnostic sets, patient monitors, blood pressure monitors and pulse oximeters;
- 69 pieces of medical furniture, including examination couches, IV cots, dressing trolleys and recliners with IV poles;
- 200 storm survival boxes for internally displaced people, containing household items, shelter tools, feeding supplies and hygiene items; and
- 2,700 hygiene kits and 2,500 wound-care kits to support basic health and recovery needs.
Health Facility Rehabilitation
Hurricane Melissa caused widespread damage to health facilities, disrupting critical services and increasing public health risks. To restore safe and functional care environments, International Medical Corps procured construction materials and managed rehabilitation efforts, including:
- repairing and stabilizing roofing and interior damage at Craighead Clinic, enabling the facility to reopen and restoring safe, operational care to an estimated 190,000 people;
- remediating flood and moisture damage at Mandeville Primary Health Care, restoring pediatric and maternal health services and direct care for 3,300 people; and
- donating 431 units of infrastructure and hardware supplies, including tent shelters, room dividers, flooring, insulation, sheetrock, lumber and roofing materials.
Moving Forward through Health System Strengthening
As Jamaica continues its recovery from Hurricane Melissa, International Medical Corps is focused on strengthening health systems to better withstand future shocks and ensure continuity of care for vulnerable communities. In the months ahead, we will prioritize sustained recovery in the most heavily affected parishes by:
- rehabilitating damaged health facilities using climate-resilient designs, to maintain operations during future extreme-weather events;
- strengthening WASH systems in health facilities through improved purification, storage and distribution, to ensure safe and reliable access;
- restoring and equipping health facilities with essential medical supplies and equipment, to support uninterrupted service delivery; and
- supporting communities through hygiene awareness and disaster-awareness activities, to reduce future health risks.
In addition to our Hurricane Melissa response, International Medical Corps offered training to frontline and healthcare workers in Jamaica in 2025 to ensure they have the knowledge they need before the next disaster strikes. You can help mend the lives broken by this disaster by supporting our work today.
