The deployment of a medical team from Canada-based humanitarian organisation, Team Broken Earth, has significantly strengthened patient care and eased staffing pressures at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital in Westmoreland.

The team, which was on the island for one week, worked alongside local medical personnel in the accident and emergency department, internal medicine, paediatrics and other wards, assisting with patient rounds, assessments and clinical support.

During a press briefing at the Hospital on Thursday, February 5, Chief Executive Officer, Roan Grant, said the presence of the team had an immediate and meaningful effect on operations, especially in departments experiencing the greatest demand.

Grant explained that the hospital has been managing human-resource challenges in key units, while continuing to serve large numbers of patients from across the region.

“So even though it was [for] a week, it was very impactful, especially in our internal medicine and accident and emergency departments. For them to come in at this critical time for us, it’s really impactful on our service level,” he said.

Grant also noted that the support came at a time when many hospital staff were still recovering from personal losses sustained during Hurricane Melissa. “Coming out of the hurricane, it was really devastating for especially 75 to 80 per cent of our staff, even though they were at work, they were devastated in their homes…so that kind of contribution has to be highlighted,” he said.

Grant expressed appreciation to the visiting team and sponsors for their assistance and indicated that the hospital looks forward to continued collaboration to strengthen services for patients across the region.

For her part, Emergency physician, Dr Kathie Thoms, who volunteers with the organisation, said the collaboration between the visiting team and local staff allowed patients to be diagnosed and treated more efficiently. “We’ve seen a lot of patients; we also had someone who was diagnosed through ultrasound and various techniques and had a significant medical condition that we were able to get investigated and treated, and he’s now doing much better today,” she said, noting that the team also helped maintain patient flow in the busy accident and emergency department.

Family physician, Dr Rebecca Powell, who also volunteers with Team Broken Earth, added that the experience on the wards highlighted the dedication of local health workers and the complexity of cases being managed daily.

The visit formed part of a broader effort to support health services in Westmoreland following the widespread damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.

In addition to assisting at the hospital, Team Broken Earth also provided care at health centres and in communities across the parish, helping to ensure continuity of medical services.

The mission was made possible through sponsorship from the Flow Foundation, which partnered with Team Broken Earth as part of its broader Hurricane Melissa recovery initiatives.

Operations and Projects Coordinator at Flow Foundation, Shelly-Ann O’Connor, said the organisation’s support is guided by a phased approach to recovery, moving from immediate relief to longer-term rebuilding of essential services.

“We’ve had a three-phase approach to the support that we’re providing—relief, recovery and reset. We’re now at the part where we need to recover, and this is where healthcare is critical,” she stated.

She further noted that the partnership was informed by a needs assessment that identified priority areas within the hospital and surrounding communities where medical support was most urgently required.