©️photo: OPS
Port-au-Prince, February 2, 2026.- Three months after the devastating passage of Hurricane Melissa, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is stepping up its support to transform the emergency response into a sustainable recovery phase. Between heavily damaged health infrastructure in Cuba and epidemics under surveillance in Jamaica, the current challenge lies in the reconstruction of health systems capable of resisting future climate shocks.
An unprecedented health and material impact
Hurricane Melissa, a category 5 storm, left behind a trail of destruction in Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti. With a tragic record of 88 deaths and 785 health facilities damaged, 80 per cent of them in Cuba, the pressure on regional infrastructure remains critical. In Jamaica, despite the resumption of activity of 89 per cent of health centres, large reference hospitals suffer from alarming overcrowding, far exceeding their safety thresholds. The PAHO has mobilized over 42 tons of essential medical equipment from its Panama reserve to stabilize the situation and ensure continuity of primary care in the most remote areas.
Epidemiological threat and water challenge
Water withdrawal did not sign the end of the risks. In Jamaica, an epidemic of leptospirosis has already caused 14 deaths, while in Cuba, authorities are fighting simultaneous outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya and Oropouche. Access to drinking water remains a major vulnerability: in Santiago de Cuba, nearly 500,000 people still depend on tankers. The OPS actively supports the strengthening of laboratories and the deployment of field epidemiologists to quickly detect infectious outbreaks, while investing in vector control to curb the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.
Towards resilience « Smart » Human Rights
Beyond buildings, OPS focuses on human capital and sustainability. More than 3,000 people have been trained in psychological first aid to support populations and health workers, who are often victims of the storm. However, a sense of hope emerges from this crisis: the infrastructure built according to the standards of the « Intelligent hospitals » There was minimal damage to OPS. This success confirms that it is imperative that the recovery strategy integrate resilient building standards to ensure that, in the next disaster, health services remain operational when people need them most.
W.A.
