Residents across five communities in Jamaica’s St Elizabeth parish are set to access a wide range of no-cost essential health services starting May 18, through a multi-organizational medical mission health fair running through May 22. The outreach initiative is a collaborative effort between U.S.-based healthcare provider AdventHealth, Jamaica’s Andrews Memorial Hospital Limited, the Jamaica Union Conference, and the West Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, developed as part of ongoing disaster recovery support for communities impacted by Hurricane Melissa.
Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm, made landfall on Jamaica in October 2024, leaving widespread devastation that upended the lives of thousands of residents across western parts of the island. For Donmayne Gyles, president and chief executive officer of Andrews Memorial Hospital, this upcoming health fair is far more than a one-off charity event—it is the fulfillment of a public promise made in the immediate aftermath of the storm to stand alongside affected communities through their long recovery journey. This marks the fifth targeted outreach effort the hospital and church partnership has delivered to impacted western parishes since the hurricane hit.
“When Hurricane Melissa destroyed homes, disrupted livelihoods and upended entire communities, we committed as a hospital and faith network that we would not leave affected residents to rebuild alone,” Gyles explained in a statement ahead of the event. “This Medical Mission Health Fair is how we turn that commitment into tangible support for the people of St Elizabeth. We are deeply grateful that AdventHealth, our U.S. partner, shared our vision of extending healing and hope to this region, and they have joined our local clinicians to deliver compassionate, free care to residents in five hard-hit communities.”
Attendees will have access to a comprehensive suite of services that address both the physical and emotional toll of the 2024 hurricane. Beyond core medical offerings including general practitioner consultations, eye screenings, dental checks and free prescription medications, the mission also integrates dedicated pastoral support and professional psychosocial care to help residents process the lingering trauma and stress of the disaster. This holistic approach was designed to respond to the overlapping social, emotional and financial strains that continue to impact local families months after the storm.
The mobile health fair will rotate through a new community location each day, with consistent operating hours across all five stops. Registration opens at 8:00 a.m. each day, with clinical and support services running from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The outreach kicked off on Monday at the Junction Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, with the next stop scheduled for Tuesday at New Market SDA Church. On Wednesday, the care team will set up at InTown SuperCentre on School Street in Black River, before moving to White Hill SDA Church on Thursday. The mission will wrap up its five-day run on Friday at Santa Cruz SDA Church.
The initiative has garnered broad support from a range of local and regional corporate sponsors, including Comprehensive Eyecare, Three Angels Pharmacy Limited, LASCO, Facey Commodity Company Limited, Denk Pharma, Apotex, Cari-Med Group Limited, and Massy Distribution. Organizers are actively encouraging all St Elizabeth residents who need care, particularly those still recovering from hurricane-related disruptions to their access to healthcare, to note the location closest to their home and take advantage of the free services being offered.