Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Commander Alvin Gayle, says the national response to Hurricane Melissa was strong, particularly in coordination, “with rapidly mobilised efforts and the unwavering dedication of our front-line teams”.

Delivering opening remarks at the Ministry of Health and Wellness After-Action Review of the Hurricane Melissa response, at the Moon Palace Hotel in Ocho Rios, St Ann, on March 24, he said that Hurricane Melissa was “significantly more than just a meteorological event”, describing it as a comprehensive test of Jamaica’s disaster response architecture, particularly within the health sector.

“The event tested our coordination mechanisms, our surge capacity and, critically, the continuity of essential health services,” the ODPEM Head said.            

While commending the overall response, Commander Gayle highlighted the strong collaboration and the commitment of essential workers across the island.

He cautioned, however, that the event also revealed important gaps within the system. “It exposed weaknesses that we must now examine carefully. This process (Review) allows us to identify what went wrong and to improve the efficiency, responsiveness, and resilience of our disaster management framework,” the Director General added.

He reaffirmed the agency’s ongoing commitment to supporting the health sector and broader national disaster response efforts. The Director General also underscored the importance of continuous learning and system strengthening in Jamaica’s disaster response.

The two-day review, hosted by the Ministry, with support from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), brought together key stakeholders to assess the country’s health sector performance before, during and after the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Commander Gayle described the exercise as a critical step in strengthening Jamaica’s disaster risk management (DRM) systems. “It is my distinct pleasure to address this gathering as we undertake what will be a very important exercise for us going forward,” he said. “This structured approach, from context setting to identifying enablers and challenges, advancing root cause analysis, and developing recommendations, represents a sound, methodical framework on which we must continue to build.”

Emphasising the inevitability of future hazards, the ODPEM Head urged stakeholders to use the review as an opportunity for honest reflection and meaningful improvement.

He pointed out that front-line workers will again be called upon to respond, and to that end, it was critical to engage in open and honest discussions, not only about what worked well but also about what did not. “This process is central to advancing a more integrated, risk-informed national framework, one that recognises the health sector as a critical pillar of disaster risk management. ODPEM remains committed to supporting this process and to strengthening coordination across all systems,” he said.

Participants were encouraged to actively engage over the two-day session, with a focus on generating actionable recommendations to enhance preparedness and response capabilities. The After-Action Review included stakeholders from various sectors and forms part of Jamaica’s ongoing efforts to build resilience and improve national systems in the face of increasing climate-related threats.