KINGSTON, Jamaica, (PAHO) – Amid the wreckage left behind by hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm that battered Jamaica on 28 October, a new sign of hope now stands beside Falmouth Public General Hospital in Trelawny: a fully equipped Spanish Emergency Medical Team (EMT) mobile hospital, deployed with support from the European Union (EU), in coordination with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Ministry of Health & Wellness (MOHW).
The Type 2 facility, managed by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), is designed to deliver hospital-level care, including surgery, inpatient wards, and 24-hour emergency services. With the capacity to treat up to 200 patients per day and perform seven major and 15 minor surgeries, it is helping to restore medical care in one of the parishes hardest hit by the storm.
Inside the white canvas walls, over 70 doctors, nurses, anesthetists, logisticians, and emergency specialists work shoulder to shoulder with Jamaican counterparts, providing care for trauma, obstetric, and surgical cases. Their work relieves pressure on a health system that has been running at full capacity since the hurricane tore through the island, damaging five major hospitals and dozens of community facilities.
“The Spanish team’s arrival demonstrates what global solidarity looks like in practice,” said Ian Stein, PAHO/WHO representative in Jamaica. “It shows how partners can unite around one national plan, under the leadership of the ministry of health & wellness, to protect lives and strengthen the country’s capacity to respond.”
Hurricane Melissa caused widespread damage to health facilities and critical infrastructure, with the southwestern coastal parishes hardest hit. Hospitals and clinics in multiple parishes report higher emergency caseloads, limited supplies, and unstable utilities as repairs continue.
PAHO/WHO is supporting operations to ensure all EMTs are integrated into national coordination systems, share data, and follow international standards for patient safety, infection prevention, and reporting. The Organisation also continues to support the government of Jamaica and partners so that every facility damaged by hurricane Melissa returns to full service and lessons learned strengthen preparedness for future disasters.
