This morning, international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse opened its Emergency Field Hospital in Black River, Jamaica. This field hospital is providing critical medical care to families impacted by Hurricane Melissa after the local hospital was destroyed.
The more than 30 bed field hospital is equipped with an operating room, intensive care unit, emergency room, obstetric ward for maternal and neonatal care, laboratory, pharmacy, and blood bank. Samaritan’s Purse airlifted this unit to the island on Sunday aboard the organization’s 767 cargo aircraft at the request of Jamaica’s Ministry of Health. Today, Samaritan’s Purse medical staff began treating patients, offering surgical, emergency, and maternal care to those in desperate need, all in Jesus’ Name.
“This powerful storm damaged or destroyed every structure in Black River—including the hospital—and our team has been working round the clock to get an Emergency Field Hospital airlifted, transported to the site, and now open and treating patients,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “So many people in Jamaica have lost everything and there is a great need for medical care. We’re here to help in Jesus Name.”
The field hospital—self-sustaining and fully equipped to operate in disaster zones—is staffed by doctors, nurses, and other members of the Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART). Additional mobile medical teams began conducting clinics in surrounding communities just a few days after the storm made landfall.
Over the past week, Samaritan’s Purse has airlifted nearly 100 tons of emergency relief supplies to Jamaica, including thousands of shelter tarps, 4,660 household water filters, nearly 4,000 solar lights, and more than 800 hygiene kits. The organization has also sent four community water filtration systems, each capable of serving up to 10,000 people per day with safe drinking water, and are continuing to install them across the island’s most critically damaged areas.
“These people will need our help for some time. We’re continuing to deliver clean water, shelter materials, and other relief supplies to help families recover.” Graham added. “As this falls out of the news, we want them to know they are not forgotten. Pray for the people of Jamaica and for our teams as we also share the hope of the Gospel.”
