In October 2025, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as the strongest hurricane in the country’s history.

The Category 5 storm churned a path near the southwestern Jamaican town of Black River before weakening and tracking across Cuba and the Bahamas, causing 45 deaths in Jamaica, 43 in Haiti, four in the Dominican Republic, and one in Cuba. The storm caused extensive infrastructure damage, including to hospitals and health centers in Jamaica, and caused flooding and displacement in Haiti and Cuba, and major power outages and water supply issues in the region for weeks after.

In the year since, Direct Relief has been supporting the region’s ongoing recovery with both medical aid and financial support.

As of October 28, 2026, Direct Relief has delivered requested medicines and medical supplies, valued at more than $41 million, to local healthcare partners serving areas affected by the hurricane, including Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.…