PAHO Tracks Category 5 Hurricane Melissa’s Escalating Impact
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is closely following the course of Hurricane Melissa, now designated as a Category 5 storm, as it sweeps over the Caribbean area. The storm will have the worst effect on Jamaica and Cuba, but it will also cause catastrophic floods and power outages in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in the U.S. says that Melissa may bring heavy rain, storm surges, and damage to infrastructure that could put public health systems and important community services at risk.
Emergency Coordination and Health Readiness Efforts
The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) of PAHO in Washington, D.C., is always in touch with the Caribbean Ministries of Health and regional disaster response teams. The government is providing up-to-the-minute information on the hurricane’s path and helping to put health preparedness measures into place.
PAHO is also working with the UN and Caribbean disaster management agencies to make sure that emergency preparedness is coordinated and that all impacted countries have the same plan for how to respond.
Rapid Deployment of Medical Kits and Health Supplies
To get ready for emergencies, PAHO has put important emergency health kits and trauma supplies in Haiti ahead of time. They are kept in the PROMESS Central Medical Warehouse in Tabarre, which is near Port-au-Prince. These are things like cyclone response kits and lab supplies that can be used right away in the field.
The PAHO Regional Strategic Reserve in Panama also has important medications, water and sanitation (WASH) supplies, and diagnostic tools that may be quickly transported to any nation if the health system is not working properly.
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Local Health Systems on High Alert Across the Region
National health agencies in the Caribbean have set up their emergency operations centers and regional response plans. In Haiti, the Ministry of Health has sent out regional crisis teams to keep caring for patients even if there have been isolated floods and power outages.
The National Emergency Operations Center is helping hospitals and community health centers in Jamaica work together. Meanwhile, officials in Cuba and the Dominican Republic are keeping an eye out for probable service interruptions and community relocations.
Anticipated Health System Disruptions and Priorities
Hurricane Melissa presents a direct danger to health care infrastructure. Hospitals might be damaged, lose electricity, or become harder to reach in isolated or coastal areas. As bad weather continues, emergency departments are likely to see more patients than usual.
PAHO stressed the importance of quickly assessing damage and making emergency plans to find service gaps and avoid shortages of medical supplies at important institutions once the storm passes.
Safeguarding Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Services
One of the biggest health dangers after a cyclone is that water and sanitation systems might break down, which can cause epidemics of illnesses that spread by water or insects. Damage to WASH facilities at health care institutions and shelters might make cholera, leptospirosis, and respiratory illnesses more likely.
PAHO says that clean water and sanitation facilities should be restored right away to stop the spread of disease and pollution in hospitals and evacuation shelters.
Integrating Mental Health Support Into Emergency Response
PAHO is stressing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) as an important part of the response, in addition to physical health. Natural disasters may cause people to lose their homes and loved ones and experience trauma, all of which can contribute to higher levels of stress and mental suffering.
The group wants to see psychological first aid and community-based mental health programs added to local disaster response plans to enable people who have been harmed to get well emotionally and socially.
Sustained Coordination for Post-Storm Recovery
PAHO is giving technical advice and operational support to governments and humanitarian partners to keep important health services running during and after the hurricane. To make sure that health systems can handle everything, the focus is on preventing infections, managing medical waste, and keeping an eye on water safety.
As Hurricane Melissa moves across the Caribbean, PAHO underlines its commitment to safeguarding vulnerable populations, rebuilding important health infrastructure, and making sure that recovery activities in the area are coordinated once the storm’s effects have passed.
