PAHO supports Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines following Hurricane Beryl
PAHO supports Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines following Hurricane Beryl
Bridgetown, Barbados, July 22, 2024 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is supporting the health response in affected Caribbean countries following the devastating passage of Hurricane Beryl.
Hurricane Beryl, the earliest ever recorded Category 5 hurricane in the North Atlantic, hit the eastern Caribbean on 1 July as a high-end Category 4 storm causing significant destruction, particularly to the islands of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Beryl directly affected over 80,000 people across the two countries and caused 11 deaths in those locations. The hurricane also led to widespread damage to infrastructure, including to at least 15 health facilities rendered inoperable.
“Our hearts go out to the people of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa said, highlighting PAHO’s support. “PAHO is with you in every step to rebuild and restore access to health in affected communities,” he added.
During the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, PAHO activated its emergency response mechanisms to provide critical support to Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, through its Emergency Operation Centers in Barbados and Washington D.C., as well as its specialists stationed in both countries, who act as first responders on the ground.
PAHO experts in the areas of water and sanitation, health facility damage assessment, environmental health, and logistics, have been deployed to the islands to assess the situation on the ground and coordinate the response alongside local health authorities. PAHO assisted with the completion of a comprehensive assessment report and budget for the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene for St Vincent and the Grenadines. The Government approved this report and allocated 1 million Eastern Caribbean dollars (US$370,000) to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations. Detailed damage assessment and estimates for the restoration of health facilities is also being undertaken.
With logistical support from the World Food Program (WFP) and the Barbados Defense Force, PAHO rapidly mobilized critical relief items from its strategic reserve in Panama to support immediate response operations in affected communities. Water purification tablets, water testing kits, water pumps, and generators were delivered in Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to be used at local health facilities impacted by Hurricane Beryl.
These deployments and donations aim to support countries in ensuring the provision of essential health care services and also help reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.
PAHO has also supported the implementation of surveillance in emergency shelters in both Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to monitor and mitigate potential health risks, and continues to work closely national health authorities to strengthen their routine surveillance systems.
PAHO also activated the regional network of Emergency Medical Teams (EMT). These are teams of health professionals (doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, etc.) that support local health systems by providing direct clinical care to people affected by emergencies and disasters. With support from Samaritan’s Purse, two EMTs have been deployed so far. These teams are self-sufficient, ensuring no additional burden is placed on host countries.
Photo credit: Ministry of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs & Local Government - Samaritan Purse EMT Type 1 hospital
PAHO continues to monitor the situation closely and stands prepared to provide additional support as needed. The organization is working in close coordination with international and regional partners to ensure a comprehensive and collaborative response to this emergency and to provide a full assessment of the hurricane’s impact on the health and wellbeing of affected populations.
Based on currently available information, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that the number of people in need of immediate humanitarian assistance is nearly 60,000 across the two countries and that approximately USD$9 million are needed to support the overall response needs across all sectors.
While Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines were among the hardest hit, Hurricane Beryl also caused significant damage to Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, St. Lucia, the United States and Trinidad and Tobago.
PAHO assists its Member States to strengthen their health sector’s capacities in the area of prevention, risk reduction, preparedness, surveillance, response to and early recovery from emergencies and disasters related to any hazards,. When national capacities are overwhelmed, PAHO supports countries to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain disasters, including outbreaks, and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.
Want to support the heath response to Hurricane Beryl? You can assist by making a financial donation to PAHO’s response operations. To support this emergency response, please contact emergencies@paho.org.
