Kingston, Jamaica. November 21, 2025: In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, which has significantly disrupted public health services in Jamaica, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), through its CARPHA Medical Microbiology Laboratory (CMML), mobilised urgent laboratory technical support and supplies for rapid testing of infectious diseases to strengthen the country’s outbreak response capacity. This emergency assistance was funded by CARPHA’s Pandemic Fund Grant.
In addition to the wide-ranging damage and loss post Hurricane Melissa disaster, the risk of emergence and spread of diseases becomes a major a concern, with increased disease threats such as gastroenteritis, dengue, and leptospirosis, other food, water and vector-borne diseases, respiratory illness, due to disruptions in water and sanitation facilities, safe food supplies as well as increased vector proliferation. In alignment with its mandate as the Region’s and CARICOM’s public health lead, the Agency’s key focus is supporting the public health needs and response to the impact of hurricane Melissa in Jamaica; to fill critical gaps that complement national procurement and humanitarian relief, though Supplies, Technical Support and Deployments for:
- Rapid disease detection and laboratory surge testing capacity;
- Food, water and vector-borne-disease safety, prevention and control
- Surveillance support for early warning and response to infectious diseases surges
- Environmental health and WASH monitoring (water quality, sanitation, hygiene);
Amidst reports of possible leptospirosis cases, post Hurricane Melissa, a request was made by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Jamaica for support. Within 24 hours, Mrs. Nikhella Winter-Reece, CARPHA Laboratory Technologist, was deployed to Jamaica, where the following support was provided during November 17-20th:
These rapid diagnostic tools, the MolBio® Quatro and Truenat® extractor platforms, allow for frontline laboratories to conduct rapid testing within two (2) hours for early detection of priority pathogens.
A total of nineteen (19) laboratory personnel were trained in the use of the Molbio instrument (sample preparation, treatment, extraction, results and interpretation). These included eleven (11) technologists from Jamaica’s National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL), two (2) from the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) and six (6) from CARPHA’s Jamaica Campus. A total of ten (10) patient samples were tested, with nine (9) being positive for a range of infectious diseases. This also supported the confirmation of leptospirosis; which Minister of Health, the Honourable Dr Tufton, officially declared as an outbreak on November 21 2025 https://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20251121/tufton-confirms-leptospirosis-outbreak-jamaica
As a result of CARPHA’s rapid intervention, going forward, one Molbio Quatro PCR Point of Care (POC) instrument will stay at the NPHL, and one will be sent to CRH, so that the country is successfully equipped with PCR instruments and supplies for rapid testing of a range of pathogenic pathogens, to facilitate rapid response by Jamaica.
CARPHA’s Executive Director, Dr. Lisa Indar, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting Jamaica in times of crisis: “Jamaica is facing urgent public health risks following Hurricane Melissa. CARPHA stands ready to provide rapid assistance to ensure early detection, control, and mitigation of disease threats. Strengthening laboratory capacity during emergencies is vital to prevention disease spread and protecting the health and well-being of the people of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean”
These interventions form part of CARPHA’s mandate to support regional public health resilience and ensure timely access to laboratory diagnostics during emergencies. The Agency continues to monitor the situation closely and remains in active communication with Jamaican authorities to provide additional assistance as needed.
About CARPHA’s Pandemic Fund Project
CARPHA is the Executing Agency for its Pandemic Fund Project, with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) as the Implementing Entity. The goal of this Project, which spans from 2024 to 2026, is to Reduce the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPR). The objective is to support the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic PPR surveillance and early warning systems, laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and at country levels. This will reduce the transboundary spread of infectious diseases and improve regional and global health security. CARPHA is the beneficiary of the PF project and CARPHA Member States are the participants. Learn more via CARPHA’s Pandemic Fund webpage.
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