UK-Med, the UK’s frontline emergency medical charity, has deployed a specialist clinical team to support the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW), Jamaica, in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.
Approximately 1.5 million people affected across Jamaica – more than half the national population – with widespread losses of housing, livelihoods, power, and water access. In several low-lying and coastal areas, rising groundwater levels and persistent soil saturation are prolonging flooding and complicating recovery operations. Water continues to seep from the subsurface even after surface floods have receded, delaying cleanup efforts, undermining road foundations, and increasing contamination risks for shallow wells and latrines.
Responding as the UK Emergency Medical Team (UK EMT) and funded by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the mission will provide mobile medical clinics in areas where health services have been severely disrupted ensuring communities have access to urgently needed primary health care (PHC).
The short-term mission, expected to last six weeks, will help bridge critical service gaps during the recovery period.
Reaching hundreds of patients a day
Mobile clinics are expected to treat around 100 people per day, though numbers will vary depending on local needs.
Each mobile clinic team will include a GP, nurse, and midwife, providing care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), maternal health, minor injuries, and minor illnesses.
Three teams will rotate across around 15 sites per week in coordination with the MoHW, within Trelawny Parish, one of the hardest-hit regions in the northwest corner of the island.
With many Primary Health Centres (PHCs) damaged or closed, these mobile clinics will reduce overcrowding at emergency departments and ensure access to care for people in rural communities.
Standing with Jamaica
CEO, David Wightwick CMG, from UK-Med, recently returned from Jamaica as part of the initial assessment team, said:
“The hurricane has left hospitals damaged and health workers stretched to their limits. Our surge team will help keep essential services running while supporting the Ministry of Health and Wellness as it restores Jamaica’s healthcare system.
Our response is about solidarity as much as clinical support, standing alongside our Jamaican colleagues as they rebuild.”
Minister for the Caribbean, Chris Elmore, said:
“We have all seen the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa – and the UK is doing its bit to help Jamaica recover in the aftermath.
“The medical team will provide vital treatment and care for those affected, as well as helping local services while they are stretched and working in difficult conditions as they build back from the impact of this hurricane.”
About the UK EMT and UK-Med
The UK Emergency Medical Team (UK EMT) is the UK’s official humanitarian health response mechanism, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and operated by UK-Med. It provides rapid, high-quality emergency healthcare during disasters and disease outbreaks around the world, in partnership with affected governments and the World Health Organization.
UK-Med is a UK-registered charity based in Manchester, with over 30 years of experience responding to health emergencies worldwide.
Appeal for support
UK-Med relies on public donations to fund its emergency operations – from basic medical supplies to field hospitals and trauma teams. Without continued support, its life-saving work will cease, just as the need is greatest.
To donate or find out more, visit uk-med.org or contact media@uk-med.org
