Jamaica launches health after-action review following Hurricane Melissa | News
The Ministry of Health and Wellness, in partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), has launched a complete Health After Action Review (AAR) within the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, marking a pivotal step in strengthening Jamaica’s emergency preparedness, response, and restoration programs.
Speaking in the course of the opening session on Tuesday on the Moon Palace Hotel in Ocho Rios, PAHO/WHO Representative to Jamaica, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands, Ian Stein, expressed deep appreciation for the management of Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness all through each the emergency response and ongoing restoration efforts.
“I would like to acknowledge, very deliberately, the commitment and courage of Jamaica’s health workers, emergency responders, and public servants, who continue to serve communities under extraordinarily difficult conditions. That dedication is not taken for granted. It deserves to be recognized,” he said.
Stein highlighted a strong instance of resilience noticed within the fast aftermath of the hurricane.
“Attendance records showed that public health workers in the most severely affected areas reported to duty at the same levels as those in less impacted regions, an extraordinary testament to their professionalism and commitment,” he reasoned. The After-Action Review, a World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended course of aligned with the International Health Regulations (IHR), is designed as a structured and reflective train.
It goals to establish strengths, uncover challenges, and information enhancements in nationwide health emergency programs.
“This is not an audit or an evaluation. It is a process of collective learning, understanding what worked well, where challenges arise, and how systems can be strengthened for the future,” Stein emphasised.
The PAHO/WHO Representative pressured the significance of candid dialogue in the course of the two-day review, encouraging contributors to brazenly share their experiences and insights.
The course of may even acknowledge the human and emotional toll emergencies place on responding, reinforcing the significance of supporting these on the entrance strains.
“Resilient systems are built, not only on protocols and infrastructure but on people who feel heard, supported, and valued,” Stein famous.
He counseled the Health Ministry for its proactive resolution to undertake the review in a spirit of transparency and steady enchancment, an method he stated displays robust governance and Jamaica’s dedication to advancing nationwide health safety in keeping with regional and international requirements.
PAHO’s function within the course of consists of offering technical facilitation, methodological steering, and regional experience, whereas making certain that each one findings and classes stay nationally owned.
“This is Jamaica’s review, Jamaica’s learning, and Jamaica’s path forward,” Mr. Stein said.
He has reaffirmed PAHO’s solidarity with the Government and other people of Jamaica, emphasizing its continued assist, not solely throughout crises but in addition in strengthening programs for the longer term.
“We stand with Jamaica in the important work of learning, strengthening, and building the way forward together,” Stein declared.
– JIS News
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