In a significant demonstration of regional solidarity, the Barbados Defence Force Emergency Medical Team (BDF EMT) has provided comprehensive medical treatment to 495 patients during the initial phase of Operation Helping Hands 2025 in Westmoreland, Jamaica. The operation, which commenced on December 1, represents a coordinated Caribbean response to healthcare needs following Hurricane Melissa.
Under the leadership of Lieutenant Commander Anderson Goodridge, Officer-in-Charge of Medical Services, the Barbados-based field hospital officially began receiving patients from Savannah La-Mar Hospital on December 1. Medical services delivered between December 1-7 reached 270 patients, with an additional 225 individuals treated between December 8-10. The facility’s surgical team performed three procedures during the first week of operations, followed by two elective surgeries.
Commander Goodridge reported that the medical team treated patients across all demographic categories, including male, female, and pediatric cases, while providing specialized care through orthopedics, gynecological, pediatric, surgical, and medical clinics. ‘The government and people of Jamaica have received the BDF EMT with gratitude, warmth and hospitality, and they have shown a deep appreciation for our attendance here in Jamaica,’ Goodridge stated.
Dr. Walter Alleyne, Director of Medical Services with the second rotation of the BDF EMT, outlined the six core services provided by the field hospital: outpatient and inpatient clinics, pharmacy services, laboratory diagnostics, psychosocial support services for staff, and Central Sterilising Supply Department operations. Dr. Alleyne, who coordinates medical services between the Savannah La-Mar Hospital and the BDF EMT, expressed admiration for the dedication of the Barbadian medical team, noting they frequently performed roles beyond their assigned responsibilities.
The BDF EMT holds the distinction of being the only WHO-accredited field hospital in the hemisphere, formally recognized by the World Health Organization for providing emergency response and care in disaster scenarios. Operation Helping Hands 2025 represents an unprecedented collaboration of medical professionals from across the Caribbean region, including participants from Cayman Islands, Grenada, Trinidad, Guyana, St. Maarten, Suriname, British Virgin Islands, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts, Belize, Miami, Jamaica, and Barbados.